Chris Evans thinks the one-off ‘TFI Friday’ special is like a "World Cup final".
The 49-year-old presenter – who fronted the Channel 4 show from 1996 until 2000 – is eagerly looking forward to the programme’s return tonight (12.06.15) and has likened the experience to David Beckham coming out of retirement to play in the biggest game of his career.
Chris said: "It’s like David Beckham getting to the age of 49 and then being asked if he wants to play not in a charity match but the World Cup final.
"And it really is the World Cup final – that’s what it feels like for me."
However, Chris also insisted he’s "more sane and lot more stable" than when he last presented the iconic show.
He told The Sun newspaper: "The only thing that has changed is me. I am a lot more relaxed.
"I am a lot happier. I have less hair but most of it is painted orange by my hairdresser!
"I’m a bit more sane and lot more stable. Also, I know what the show is. I never used to know what the bloody show was because we were so seat-of-our-pants. That’s how it ended, anyway. But watching the old shows back, there was a lot more thought that went into it than I remembered.
"It is like going to a party – you sort of remember the end and the beginning but you forget about the middle. The four years, we did actually do some work.
"My interpretation of it was that we must have just been larking around but we weren’t. I’ve been watching clips and it is almost always joyous. People say they expect to see me having a good time."
The much-anticipated programme will feature a star-studded list of guests – including Amanda Seyfried, Jeremy Clarkson and Liam Gallagher – but Chris is particularly looking forward to his 89-year-old mum Minnie making an appearance.
He explained: "She did the show loads in the past but never thought she would do it again.
"I got to spend four hours with my mum filming on Tuesday, which for me was a dream."
Chris Evans: TFI Friday is like the World Cup final
