Christian rules waves

London breakfast show host Christian O'Connell sealed his status as the rising star of British TV and radio after being crowned DJ of the year. The Xfm presenter beat rivals Jonathan Ross and Chris Moyles to take the coveted title at the annual Sony radio awards - one year after winning the best breakfast show accolade.

The award, with the judges praising O'Connell for his "high octane, unmissable radio", came 24 hours after he was confirmed as the replacement for Johnny Vaughan on BBC Radio Five Live's Fighting Talk quiz show.

Vaughan recently left the Saturday morning sports quiz to replace Chris Tarrant as Capital FM breakfast DJ.

It will be a first national FM radio job for the 31-year-old, who takes up the new post from August alongside his weekday Xfm job.

At the ceremony he also revealed that he is to front his own Friday night TV series for BBC2. "I can't say much about it yet but it's going to be out at the end of the year," he said. "I'm really looking forward to it. There's loads going on for me right now - it's mad. I'm over the moon."

O'Connell, whose lawyer wife Sarah is expecting their first child next month, paid tribute to radio veteran Terry Wogan as he collected his award at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane. "I got an award last year but got so drunk I forgot to ring my parents," he said.

"My dad heard it the next day on the Terry Wogan show - so if Terry is out there, can you do the same again? I've rung my wife already to tell her. She couldn't make it because she's been at an antenatal class. Now I'm going to crack open a Montecristo cigar and get drunk."

Other winners included radio veteran Johnny Walker, who was presented with the lifetime achievement award by surprise guest Sir Elton John. Sir Elton was ushered into the hotel flanked by minders - one of whom was clutching the lead of his treasured cocker spaniel.

He said of radio veteran Walker, who has a show on Radio 2: "Johnny championed me in the early days and did me so many big favours. I would never have made it without him."

One notable absentee was Jonathan Ross, who was pipped by O'Connell to the DJ of the year award but won weekly music show of the year on Radio 2. Australian pop star Dannii Minogue presented the entertainment award to Jono Coleman and Harriet Scott of Heart 106.2.

"I love British radio because in Oz they never really play dance music, so I always get my fix back here," she said.

"Kiss FM and Choice are my daytime favourites but I have to admit I go across to the old slow oldies by night - stuff on Magic and Heart. There's a confession for you!"