Chris Evans delightedly announces arrival of twin babies with wife Natasha Shishmanian

Chris Evans has announced the arrival of his new twin babies to the world.

The 52-year-old radio veteran revealed his wife Natasha Shishmanian, 38, had given birth to their new children, who he has continuously claimed are named Ping and Pong, after she was induced at Frimley Park Hospital on Wednesday morning.

The star revealed the birth of the tots, who were conceived via IVF, live on his radio show on Thursday as he called in to guest host Sara Cox to reveal: ‘Ping popped her head out at 2210, Pong popped his head out 12 minutes later at 22 minutes past 10…

Happy days: Chris Evans and his wife Natasha Shishmanian welcomed their new twin babies to the world on Wednesday evening 

‘Both healthy, both strong, happy and blessed, as was mum throughout. Infinite thanks to the amazing team at Frimley Park Hospital, amazing people, amazing professionals, helping dreams come true. Thank you.’

Chris’ stand-in presenter Sara said on air: ‘Huge congrats, beautiful news. It sounded like a night to remember.’ 

While fans were certainly delighted for Chris, others were left baffled about their rather unique choice of names in Ping and Pong. 

Twitter users penned: ‘Sorry, as if Chris Evans has just named his twins Ping and Pong?!… @ChrisEvans ping? Pong?… Chris Evans still having a joke with his colleagues: He and his wife have had twins a girl and a boy named ‘Ping and Pong’…

Growing family: The 52-year-old radio veteran announced that his wife Natasha Shishmanian had given birth to their children, who he joked have been named Ping and Pong, after she was induced on Wednesday morning (pictured with son Noah in 2016)

Getting ready: On Wednesday, Chris was seen zipping out of his radio show to get to the hospital to support her beloved wife before she was induced 

‘The news was read out live on air “Ping and Pong arrived safe and well Ping popped her head out at 2210, Pong popped his head out 12 minutes later”‘ 

Speaking ahead on the labour on Tuesday, Chris said: ‘Tonight is our last night as a four… And I’ve loved our four and it makes me a bit sad – I can’t wait to meet Ping and Pong – but you know Eli, Noah, Tash and myself, we’ve had a journey.’

He continued: ‘We’ve done a lot together and tonight’s our last night as a four-piece, We go to a six-piece tomorrow, which is very exciting but you know what I mean.’

Chris announced his wife’s pregnancy on his Radio 2 Breakfast Show in April, after revealing that she was undergoing IVF in a bid to have a ‘fourth ankle-biter’.

EH? While fans were certainly delighted for Chris, others were left baffled about their rather unique choice of names in Ping and Pong

The whole gang: The couple already have two sons and the DJ has a daughter Jade, 32, with his former fiancée Alison Ward. Chris revealed the couple underwent IVF as they wanted to add to their family unit for ‘one last hurrah’ (the couple with Noah and Eli in 2015)

HOW DOES IVF WORK?

In-vitro fertilisation, known as IVF, is a medical procedure in which a woman has an already-fertilised egg inserted into her womb to become pregnant.

It is used when couples are unable to conceive naturally, and a sperm and egg are removed from their bodies and combined in a laboratory before the embryo is inserted into the woman.

Once the embryo is in the womb, the pregnancy should continue as normal.

The procedure can be done using eggs and sperm from a couple or those from donors. 

Guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that IVF should be offered on the NHS to women under 43 who have been trying to conceive through regular unprotected sex for two years.

People can also pay for IVF privately, which costs an average of £3,348 for a single cycle, according to figures published in January 2018, and there is no guarantee of success.

The NHS says success rates for women under 35 are about 29 per cent, with the chance of a successful cycle reducing as they age.

Around eight million babies are thought to have been born due to IVF since the first ever case, British woman Louise Brown, was born in 1978.

During a talk with a pregnancy nutritionist Henrietta Norton, the broadcaster mentioned the news as he asked her for advice and she told him to get a bigger car.

Chris said: ‘Mrs Evans is… she is now, yeah. Twins. Double trouble. Twin turbo. We’ve known for a while, obviously. She’s definitely the mother, there’s no doubt about that.

‘When you begin to be involved in the world of twins, suddenly twins are everywhere, twins are not as rare as you think.’

The couple already have two sons, Noah, nine, and Eli, six, and the DJ has a daughter Jade, 32, with his former fiancée Alison Ward. Chris revealed the couple underwent IVF as they wanted to add to their family unit for ‘one last hurrah’.

At the time of trying to conceive, he told listeners: ‘Mrs Evans has gone into hospital this morning at 7am – she is the field and there’s a harvest taking place this morning. It’s a nice thing, we’re having one last hurrah, one last attempt at a fourth ankle biter.

The whole clan: Chris has been open about family life with Natasha and their sons (pictured in April with son Eli)

‘It’s an IVF thing. She’ll be being harvested around now, with the radio on. She doesn’t mind me talking about it.’

Chris and Natasha tied the knot in a romantic ceremony in Faro, Portugal, in August 2007 and they have been happily together ever since.

The broadcaster was previously married to pop princess turned acclaimed actress Billie Piper, 35, from May 2001 to September 2004. Billie famously popped the question to Chris on his 35th birthday when she was the tender age of 18.

The former flames went onto tie the knot in a ceremony in Las Vegas at the time. Prior to his union with the Because We Want To hitmaker, Chris was married to TV and radio personality Carol McGiffin, 58, from 1991 to 1994. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk