In taking up the show, Evans returns to full-time radio presenting for the first time since he was dismissed from Virgin Radio in 2001 for failing to arrive to work on the breakfast show.
Walker's decision to move on after seven years in the slot, which saw him add 2m listeners to make it the most listened to drivetime show in the UK, was announced on Monday. Walker will now concentrate on high-profile rock interviews, a new Sunday programme and will stand in for Terry Wogan on the breakfast show as necessary.
Evans said that to take over the show from Walker, who helped him get his first job at the BBC, was "an absolute honour". Evans hosted the Radio 1 breakfast show between 1995 and 1997, before taking his show to Virgin Radio.
His radio comeback started gradually in January last year with presenting duties on commercial radio's Asian Tsunami charity special followed by Radio 2's coverage of the Live8 London concert.
Despite being courted by commercial radio, Evans took an offer from Lesley Douglas, controller of Radio 2, to present the station's Saturday afternoon show from September last year.
His attempts to replicate the TV successes he enjoyed in the 1990s have been less successful. In early 2004, Channel 4 cancelled a production deal with Evans' UMTV, in the wake of poor ratings for its production 'Girls and Boys', and more recently his live chatshow vehicle 'OFI Sunday' on ITV1 received a lukewarm reception.
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