Gervais triumphs in boxing bout

Ricky Gervais has won his boxing match against Grant Bovey.

But Bovey's wife Anthea Turner proved a poor loser - claiming the BBC rigged the match.

"What do you expect when you are fighting someone on the BBC payroll?" she told celebrity spectators at this week's bout.

According to The Mirror, the fight escalated when Bovey threw a left hook at Ricky, who then tumbled on to the floor.

Both 40-year-old contenders took the bout very seriously - undergoing intensive training to shape up for the bout.

Bt eventually a shattered Gervais triumphed over Bovey, in front of an audience that included Jonathan Ross, David Baddiel and Darren Day.

A BBC insider said: "I was an extraordinary fight."

The battle, compered by Johnny Vauaghan, will be aired on BBC2 on December 29.

Published: 11 Dec 2002