Les Dennis wants people to watch television rather than the last night of his new play Just Between Ourselves.

Not because the play isn't worth seeing. Quite the contrary, Les thinks the play is "brilliantly written and extremely funny".

It's because next Saturday, he makes his boxing debut during Sports Aid, BBC1's 24-hour fund-raising telethon.

"It makes amazing television," he enthuses, "and just think, you get to watch me being punched."

Les takes on quirky comic Bob Mortimer in the pre-recorded, charity punch up.

"We wanted to fight live but we both had commitments on the night so we had to pre-record it. I won't tell you who wins, you'll have to watch and find out for yourself."

Although highly secretive about the outcome of the fight Les does admit to having the upper hand - or should that be glove?

"Bob's not so brave when Vic Reeves isn't around," Les jokes, "he's also a bit shorter so I had the reach advantage."

Although for charity, the fight was genuine and Les even suffered a bloody nose during a particularly vigorous sparring session.

"I kept saying 'hit me harder, I want to know what it feels like to get punched in the face'. I soon regretted it."

The celebrity sluggers trained for five weeks with former featherweight rivals Barry McGuigan and Jim McDonnell.

It was McDonnell who ended McGuigan's career in 1989, beating the Irishman in four rounds by stoppage.

Les was trained by Mc-Donnell and fought under the name The Blonde Bomber. His wife Amanda Holden donned a yellow T-shirt and cheered from the crowd.

"Bob called himself The Woodpecker. He had people like Paul Whitehouse and Johnny Vegas in his corner. It was a tough fight but fun."

Les's mind may be on boxing next Saturday but, from Monday to Friday, it will be firmly focused on Ayckbourn's closely-observed comedy.

Rather ironically, Les plays Dennis, a relentlessly cheerful DIY fanatic incapable of fixing anything, least of all his disastrously fractured marriage.

Former Bread actress Jean Boht plays his jealous and possessive mother, who drives Dennis's wife to distraction.

Set on four different birthdays in the garage where Dennis spends all his time, Just Between Ourselves is a painfully funny and intriguingly uncomfortable portrait of British suburban life.

Les says: "It is moving, thought provoking and darkly comic. Basically, it's a great play and really worth seeing."

Tickets cost between £12 and £21. Call 01273 328488.