Chris Evans plans to buy stake in C5

Chris Evans, the former radio and television star, is believed to be preparing to buy a stake in Channel 5 in an ambitious attempt to re-establish himself as a media mogul.

Relaunching his career yesterday in front of an audience of television executives at the Edinburgh International Television Festival, the former media golden boy said he had spent a year growing vegetables and "going back to nature" since being sacked as a presenter on Virgin Radio in June last year.

Evans told the audience said he had become "bored" with television but had "fallen back in love" with it after spending time working with American television executives.

"They don't see problems, they see opportunities. It struck me how positive they were.

"I'm not intending to present. I want to deal with production," he said.

Evans, who sold his Ginger Media Group for £75m, is understood to be preparing to buy the 35 per cent stake in Channel 5 held by the former owner of Express Newspapers, Lord Hollick. He said yesterday that he had spoken to financiers about buying a station, but did not specify which one.

The stake, estimated to be worth between £200m and £300m, would transform the former bad boy of television and radio into one of Britain biggest media moguls.

He is already producing Chris Moyles' new Channel 5 show and plans another programme on the same channel with his old presenting partner Gaby Roslin.

A Channel 4 Saturday night programme produced by Evans, called Boys and Girls will start in February.