An emotional Chris Evans returns to morning radio to thank supportive fans after mum's death

Chris Evans has returned to his Radio 2 breakfast show today, the day after he learned about the death of his mother moments before going on air.

Evans, 52, was informed that his mother, Minnie, 92, had passed away before he was about to start his morning broadcast on Thursday. He left a note for sports reporter Vassos Alexander, who stood in for Evans, to read out on air. It read: ‘Just before we came on air my mum passed away and I needed to go home to be with my family.’

Now, just 24 hours later, he’s back on air and took the opportunity to thank his team and all the listeners and fans for the warm wishes they sent his way.

The TFI Friday host became very emotional when he spoke about the letter his dear mum left him before she passed away.

‘My sister phones me up and she says “you’ll never guess what I’ve just found”,’ he began.

‘She’s [Minnie] left us a letter.’

He went on: ‘She left it with her birth certificate because she knew we would have to go to her birth certificate to register her death.’

Sounding extremely emotional, a choked-up Chris said: ‘She left us a letter. I’ll leave it there.’

Chris kicked off today’s show by acknowledging everyone on his team who’d offered their best wishes and condolences: ‘Thank you for the team for such lovely support yesterday and thank you guys.

Addressing his audience, he said: ‘Thank you to you guys.

‘It’s not the loss that gets you, it’s the love following the loss that gets you.’

Chris admitted there was ‘so much love’ being shown towards him, especially ‘for a lady you never met.’

‘Anyway we are back as mum would have insisted we would be.’

He said: “I am sounding quite chipper today which some of you may be surprised by but I’m just so happy mu mums at peace because if she is then I am and we are as a family.’

‘I shouldn’t have expected anything less,’ the star added.

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