Fresh bout for celebrity boxing

Boxing officials have raised concerns about the stars' safety

The BBC is in talks to resume its televised celebrity boxing bouts - months after they were dropped over fears for the contestants' safety.

Programme makers are trying to reach agreement with boxing officials about safety requirements for The Fight on BBC Two.

A scheduled fight involving pop singer Tony Hadley and BBC political correspondent John Pienaar was scrapped in January after the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC) stepped in.

It had threatened to revoke trainers' licences - but now the BBC says it has resumed dialogue with the board in the hope of getting the charity bouts back on air.

The BBC have asked me some questions and I have given them some answers

Simon Block, boxing board

However, the BBC said it could not be certain that the three-round fights - popular with millions of viewers - would go ahead.

In a statement on Wednesday it said: "The British Boxing Board of Control has now given the BBC its support to look into ways of making The Fight.

"We have a lot more talking to do with them before we make a final decision."

The corporation sad although it did not need the board's permission, it had chosen to put the fights on hold until it received the BBBC's approval as boxing's licensing body.

Political journalist John Pienaar is another would-be contender

"With this now in place, we are looking forward to working with the BBBC to bring The Fight back on air but are not setting ourselves any time limit to do so."

Boxing board general secretary Simon Block stressed that no firm agreement had been reached.

"The BBC have asked me some questions and I have given them some answers," he said.

Mr Block first publicly raised fears about safety of the boxers in December ahead of a televised bout involving Ricky Gervais and Grant Bovey.

Stringent

He accused the BBC of being irresponsible in staging the event because it was unlicensed and the two men - both in their 40s - were deemed too old to box safely.

However, the BBC insists it has always taken stringent safety precautions - with Gervais and Bovey, and in a previous bout involving Bob Mortimer and Les Dennis.

Another scheduled match put on hold was to have involved BBC investigative reporter Donal MacIntyre and entertainer Darren Day.

ITV recently announced plans to develop its own celebrity boxing show with the assistance of the International White Collar Boxing Association.