Chris Evans parted company with Virgin in June 2001

The former DJ, who is suing his former employers over �8.6m in share options, told the court he had presented most of his radio shows while hung over.

He was being asked about an attempt to stay on air for up to 14 hours, which began with Mr Evans and his co-presenter drinking shortly after the start of his show at 0600, the court heard.

After Virgin management refused to allow him to carry on into the evening, Mr Evans ended his breakfast show with the words "sod them", the court was told.

I have done most of my shows hung over. It was my normal working zone Chris Evans

Asked about his recollection of events, Mr Evans said: "I would not put it past me."

Mr Evans, 36, is claiming that Scottish Media Group (SMG), Virgin's parent company, withheld share options worth �8.6m after unfairly dismissing him.

SMG is counterclaiming that Evans breached his contract in a "highly public manner" and is suing for unspecified damages.

Geoffrey Vos QC, representing SMG, said Mr Evans' co-presenter John Webster - known as "Webbo" - was showing signs of being drunk when the pair announced they would stay on air until the game between England and Greece.

Mr Evans retorted from the witness box: "He was not drunk. He had about two-and-a-half pints of lager. I had half a pint."

Mr Vos asked: "Did you really think that Mr Webbo after two-and-a-half pints of lager had the stamina to stay on air for nine to 10 hours?"

Chris Evans with wife Billie Piper

"I didn't know," replied Mr Evans.

"That was part of the adventure."

Mr Vos replied: "Fourteen hours on the trot?"

"Other people have and they have been very successful," said Mr Evans.

He was later questioned about a three-day "drinking binge" at the end of June 2001 which Mr Vos said was highly-publicised and had brought Virgin Radio into disrepute.

Mr Vos said on the third day of the binge Evans had crawled around on all fours in a pub while telling a story.

This was "not the conduct of a man who was ill", said Mr Vos.

Evans admitted there were things he could not remember about the period because he had been so drunk.

He had no recollection of a row he was reported to have had with his wife Billie.

Asked if he remembered urinating in the street when newspaper reporters were present, he said: "That is something I would never do."

To do a show like I was doing you couldn't do it in a bad mood and I was as miserable as sin Chris Evans

Mr Vos suggested he had not done his breakfast show the following day because he was hung over.

"No," he replied. "I have done most of my shows hung over. It was my normal working zone.

"Because I like to go to the pub at night and I like to have a drink I usually have a thick head - not to the extent I had that morning, but I would say I have done more radio shows hung over than not hung over."

He added: "I was unable to broadcast, in my opinion. To do a show like I was doing you couldn't do it in a bad mood and I was as miserable as sin. I was upset. I didn't know what to do."

Mr Evans had owned Virgin Radio through his Ginger Media Group company, until he sold the outfit to SMG in 2000.

The hearing continues.