A FORMER Big Brother winner turned barbershop and bar owner has a new fight on his hands – to raise money for a North-East children’s cancer fund.

Anthony Hutton shot to fame as a reality TV star in 2005 before leaving the limelight to start his own Darlington-based business venture in the town that he trained in.

However the barber by day and bartender by night is swapping scissors and cocktails for boxing gloves and mouthguards in a bid to support his four-year-old godson, Aiden O’Brien.

Aiden’s parents, Christopher and Louise O’Brien were devastated to share the news that their son had been diagnosed with childhood leukaemia.

Ever since the diagnosis, Mr Hutton’s godson has been undergoing cancer treatment at the Great North Children’s Hospital at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle.

And the biggest battle of Aiden’s life has led Mr Hutton to pick a fight of his own by taking part in a fundraising boxing event to support the children’s hospital.

Mr Hutton said: “The staff have been absolutely magnificent and, although Aiden is still undergoing chemotherapy, we've been told he's had the best results possible.

“Obviously, I wanted to do something to say 'thank you' to the doctors and nurses and when somebody told me about the North-East's biggest corporate boxing event taking place in Darlington, I just had to do it.”

Mr Hutton, originally from Consett, signed up to the charitable Taking Care of Business fight night this weekend (Saturday, July 16), which has seen him learning from boxing’s best.

Darlington’s own former world bantamweight champion, Stuart Hall, has led contestants through a strict training regime alongside fitness trainer Johnny Harrison.

The pair will oversee the fundraising fighters in Darlington’s Dolphin Centre and Mr Hutton is expected to be cheered on by little Aiden’s parents, Christopher and Louise O’Brien.

Mr Hutton added: “Obviously I am a bit nervous. Once or twice I've asked myself what I'm doing but when I look at how Aiden is fighting I know it's the right thing.

“It's been great fun so far. Now I just can't wait to get into the ring.”

Tickets to Taking Care of Business on Saturday, July 16, are available from the Dolphin Centre or for more information, visit corporatepersonalfitness.co.uk/events

To donate to Mr Hutton’s cause, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/anthonyhutton