SMG, owner of Virgin Radio, said the sum covered all legal costs, estimated to be around £3m, as well as damages. It comes after a ruling on June 26 that Evans had broken the terms of his contract and that Virgin Radio had acted properly in terminating the DJ's contract.
Evans had been suing SMG for £8.6m in share options after being fired from his job presenting the breakfast show on Virgin Radio in 2001. But the company defended the action and won the case, with the judge, Mr Justice Lightman, describing Evans as a prima donna and a binge-drinker.
The ginger-haired DJ, who is married to pop singer Billie, had called in sick to his radio show for five days running, but was photographed by the media in a pub. During the court case, he admitted he frequently presented his breakfast show with a hangover.
Once the golden boy of British media, with a string of television and radio successes under his belt, Evans is currently experiencing something of a rough patch. As well as the £7m payout to SMG, two of the programmes created by his television production company, 'Boys & Girls' and 'Live With Christian O'Connell', have been cancelled after achieving poor ratings.
Things could be worse for the millionaire -- following his defeat in the courts, SMG was given leave to pursue a claim for £20m on top of the £1m in costs that Evans was ordered to pay by the courts. Today's settlement includes the initial £1m amount and brings the matter to an end.
If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .
.jpg)
.jpg)