Vassos Alexander, Chris Evans’ co-star on the Virgin Radio Breakfast show, insisted Leonardo DiCaprio was well within his rights when he “waved him away” during a tennis tournament. The sports reporter responded to a message from a listener, who was left raging after seeing the 44-year-old actor dismiss him last week. Writing into the station, the person groaned: “I’m still raging on Vassos’s behalf over Leonardo DiCaprio’s dismissal of him. “On top of the skyscraper over looking the Flushing Meadows when he waved him away after Vassos’s request for an interview.”
They added: “I liked him so much before, but no more, him and I we’re over, said Grace.”
Interjecting, the sports journalist leapt to Leonardo’s defence, explaining there was no harm done and that he understood why the Titanic actor behaved the way he did.
“No, no, no Grace, it’s fine honestly. Honestly it was fine,” he began.
“He had his goblet of wine, he was on the roof overlooking the Arthur Ashe stadium, Flushing Meadows there’s the tennis.”
Continuing to defend the Academy award-winning actor, Vassos added: “The last thing you want is some bloke with a microphone to go, ‘Excuse me would you mind having a quick chat we’re about to go on air.’
“He didn’t need that he had his goblet of wine, he was having a moment. Fine!”
Chipping in, Chris quipped: “Well you can square it with him because he’s going to be at the Australian Grand Prix, he’s going to be on the grid.”
With some hesitation in his voice, Vassos sheepishly replied: “Oh brilliant.”
Understandably, Chris was forgiving of the actor’s behaviour, perhaps because he too was in a similar situation a while ago.
The 52-year-old radio presenter was recently called out for “ignoring” a guest, while he presented a television show.
Simon Amstell claimed the DJ snubbed his handshake and the “embarrassing” moment was caught on video and posted online.
Speaking on the breakfast programme last week, Simon recalled the awkward encounter between the two of them.
“There’s a terrible, very embarrassing clip on YouTube of me going to shake your hand and you ignore me,” the comedian recounted.
“I did not ignore you… I suppose you could interpret it as ignoring you but I didn’t do it on purpose,” the father-of-five rebuked.
“I really didn’t do it on purpose I had a TV show to do and it was live.”
The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky airs weekdays from 6.30am on Virgin Radio UK.
