There was a time, not so long ago, when the disc jockey Chris Evans would have seemed one of the least likely people to be fronting a campaign to encourage children to write. But that was then; this is now. The erstwhile hellraiser, who had been a by-word for laddishness, has settled down to radio maturity as Sir Terry Wogan’s successor on Radio 2’s Breakfast Show. He is also famously a proud dad — as, of course, is Sir Elton John who recently (pictured) co-hosted the morning programme.

In a move designed to boost literacy among the country’s ten- and 11-year olds, Chris and his programme are promoting a short-story writing competition. Youngsters are invited to write a 500-word tale, on any subject they like, and send it to a link that can be found on Chris’s website (www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/chris-evans/500-words).

A top 50 will be selected from the entries, and the authors will be invited to watch the broadcasting of the Breakfast Show live from the Hay Festival on Friday, June 3.

Among big names involved in the project, part of the BBC Year of Books, is novelist Howard Jacobson (pictured), winner of the 2010 Booker Prize with The Finkler Question. He was on Chris’s show yesterday with some excellent advice for young writers, which can also be listened to on the website.