Evans parted company with Virgin in 2001

Mr Evans became emotional as he talked about the team he had worked with for six years, first at BBC Radio 1 and then Virgin Radio.

"We had been through hell and high water together - births, marriages and deaths, literally," he said.

But Mr Evans' integrity was called into question when he took the stand in his action against Virgin Radio.

You work hard and you play hard. When you get drunk you get rip-roaringly drunk? Geoffrey Vos QC

The star is suing the station's parent company, Scottish Media Group (SMG), following his sacking in June 2001 for loss of share options valued at �8.6m he says he was entitled to.

But SMG says Mr Evans gave it no choice but to dismiss him for breaching his contract.

Mr Evans, 36, was fired by Virgin after failing to turn up for work five days in a row. He said he was ill, but was pictured at a pub with his now-wife Billie Piper during his leave.

His drinking habits were scrutinised by Geoffrey Vos QC, representing SMG.

Mr Vos accused Mr Evans of going on an all-night drinking binge after "getting rid" of his Virgin Radio breakfast show production team in April 2001.

Mr Vos said he was seen in various pubs and later in a lap dancing club with nine or 10 people in the early hours of the morning.

"I can't remember it. It must have been good," said Mr Evans.

Stress

Mr Vos said he failed to turn up at the radio station the next day, telling his agent that he had decided to look after himself for a while.

SMG alleges Mr Evans sometimes did not turn up for work because he had a hangover.

Mr Evans contends he was off sick because he was suffering stress over his treatment by Virgin.

Mr Vos asked Mr Evans: "You would accept that you do everything to the nth degree.

Nobody likes press intrusion but if it helps me to get what I want then I have to have it - but I would rather not have it Chris Evans

"You work hard and you play hard. When you get drunk you get rip-roaringly drunk? You are an extreme person?"

SMG says Mr Evans deliberately went out of his way to embarrass Virgin because he could not accept that he was no longer in charge of the station, having sold it to the company.

But asked by Mr Vos about the content of the breakfast show Mr Evans said he had full control.

Extreme

Mr Evans told the court he was contracted to host the breakfast show from Monday to Thursday, but often presented "unpaid" on Fridays.

Asked about the holidays and time off he took during his time at Virgin he said he "didn't really care about holidays" because he got sunburnt and bored.

"Holidays to me were then not an issue," he said.

Mr Vos also accused Mr Evans of lapping up the press attention, particularly over his sacking.

"I would not accept that," he replied.

"Nobody likes press intrusion but if it helps me to get what I want and do what I do then I have to have it but I would rather not have it."