The Virgin Radio host, 53, who has been married to Natasha Shishmanian since 2007, is a keen runner and has completed the London Marathon five times. At the weekend, he finished his fifth in an impressive four hours and 48 minutes. On the Breakfast Show this morning, he was joined by a couple who also ran this year, praising them for raising “loads and loads of money” for a good cause. “We have Rob and Lisa here who bid again to run with us yesterday,” Chris Evans announced. He then proceeded to explain the couple were married, joking about the impact the challenge of marathon-running can have on relationships.
“You are married, you’re happily married,” he said.
“But marathons, half marathons — I’m not saying they test your marriage,” he chuckled, before adding assuringly: “But they can only make it stronger.”
Rob appeared to know what Chris was talking about, lightheartedly bemoaning his wife’s behaviour in the lead-up to the marathon.
“You’ve got Lisa continually talking, about nothing!” he said. “And you’re thinking, ‘I’m trying to get on my game here, I’m trying to get in the zone.’
“No, no, she just talks. Then she forgets things.
“Then she’s in and out of her bag like, ‘Have I got this, have I got that? Don’t forget to rub this. I’ve not got this, I’ve not got that…’” he joked.
Elsewhere, Chris ran this year’s London Marathon in aid of Dementia Revolution, alongside the likes of Adam Woodyatt, 50, Jake Wood, 46, and Scott Mitchell, 56, who is the husband of Barbara Windsor, 81.
The group were raising funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research through Dementia Revolution after EastEnders legend Barbara went public with her Alzheimer’s diagnosis last year.
On Friday, it was revealed they had managed to raise over £100,000 for the charities.
Meanwhile, last week, Chris revealed the mistake he made in the run-up to the marathon, saying on his Virgin Radio show: “Don’t do things like, ‘I am gonna play rounders with the kids in the garden.’
“I did that on Monday, it was the most stupid thing I could have done, because rounders involves sprinting instantly from cold muscles. Which is great if you’re seven but not if you’re 53,” he continued.
“Also, because you’re sprinting, you’re using these different muscles and your ankles are moving the wrong way.
“I can’t move my left knee sidewards but I can run forever forward in that lateral, straight in front of you movement,” he explained.
Chris and his wife Natasha have four children together, 10-year-old Noah, seven-year-old Eli and twins Walt and Boo, who were born in September.
He is also father to grown up daughter Jade from a previous relationship.
Chris Evans’ Breakfast Show airs weekdays at 6.30am on Virgin Radio.
