Is Capital's Tarrant really live on air?

Capital Radio was today forced into an embarrassing admission - that the first half-hour of Chris Tarrant's breakfast show is never live but pre-recorded.

The station has always claimed he goes on air at 6am and on the rare occasion he is late, pre-recorded back-up tapes fill in until he arrives.

However, the Standard has discovered that every morning for the last three years, he has broadcast live from 6.30am - 30 minutes after his show started.

Tarrant records the early segment after his show ends at 10am the previous day. The programme is London's biggest, with three million listeners.

As fans hear what they think is a live show, The presenter of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? is still in his chauffeur-driven car, travelling from his Esher home.

Today he admitted we were correct, and even took a swipe at Capital bosses for the coverup. At 6.30am he announced on air: "This is Chris Tarrant on Capital Radio. It's 6.30am and I am most definitely live!"

The truth had emerged after three hours of the station trying to mislead us. It said Tarrant started live at 6am - but was occasionally late. The statement added: "All radio stations have back-up tapes in case there is a technical problem or our DJ is running late."

Then Tarrant's managers became involved, saying it was nonsense that he was live daily from 6am. He had started at 6.30am for the last three years without fail, as his contract states, and has never been late. Their statement read: "The first half-hour is pre-recorded and any suggestion that he was late and meant to start at 6am is crass and naive."

A source close to Tarrant explained: "Listeners aren't aware what is going on. The show starts with an ecstatic and hyper-awake Chris bounding on the air at 6am. That's not live, it's recorded the day before.

"The recording goes along the lines of 'Hi, good morning, this is Chris Tarrant on the Capital breakfast show'. Then records are spun, with links spouting off a bit of twaddle. It is carefully worded so there are no timesensitive words or phrases. He doesn't mention the news or weather. Chris simply takes over live while a track is playing."