Celebs, Doncha Love ‘Em?
Just finished reading “It’s Not What You Think” by Chris Evans.
The disclaimer – I would never have read it except that I came across a reference somewhere to his “surprisingly honest autobiography” and I knew I’d seen it going cheap in a remainder bookshop. It’s worth the fiver it cost – though probably not the £20 asking price for the hardback.
Some quite revealing sections bring out his absolute conviction that being on the radio is what he was put on this earth to do. The self-confidence that drives him to just go for it becomes very apparent – but it’s a self-confidence born of years of hard graft learning his trade, analysing what works and what doesn’t, and planning and preparing every link he presents on-air. A lesson for us all there.
There’s more to be told in the next volume – the book stops when Evans buys Virgin Radio from Sir Richard himself and he alludes to losing a spectacular amount of money later on – and even though he’s fairly candid I think there must have been more going on in his tabloid-paparazzi-target years. Read “A Bit of a Blur” by Alex James for a more revealing inside line on the champagne and cocaine-fuelled showbiz lifestyle.
I’m not a raving Evans fan – his current Radio 2 Breakfast show is great but it’s too up-beat for a time of day when I want to focus on what I’ll be doing myself – but the boy has a talent, works hard at it, and I think you can only admire him for that. The book’s a recommendation I’m surprised to be making.