BLACKBURN Rovers are remaining tight-lipped ahead of tonight's eagerly anticipated Panorama programme, Undercover: Football's Dirty Secrets, on BBC1.

Rovers have been dragged into the controversy surrounding the programme after allegationsthat Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp illegally tapped up defender Andy Todd.

Manager Mark Hughes refused to be drawn on the speculation although he admitted he would be watching the programme with interest.

He said: "I think everyone will be watching the programme to find out what is going to be said, or alleged to be said."

The programme is based around filmed conversations between agents and undercover journalists posing as representatives of a new agency called Dynamic Soccer.

"A record of around £300million was spent on players in the Premiership this summer alone," reads the BBC's promotional text for the programme.

The most high profile manager mentioned in the programme is Redknapp, although the former West Ham manager strenuously denies any illegal activity and said he was "one million per cent innocent" .

Referring to the tapping up allegation' he was quoted by the News of the World as saying: "What really happened is that Todd's agent, Peter Harrison, asked me what I thought about the player.

"I said I like Toddy. He's a hard b*****d. I'd have him in my team', and that was it.

"I didn't even know if Blackburn wanted to sell Andy or not. It was just a quick conversation, not of my making, and the sort of chat managers, directors and agents have all the time.

"If that's seen to be tapping up it's ridiculous, unreal."

The Panorama show is being screened just a few weeks before Lord Stevens' long-awaited report on 362 transfers involving clubs in the Premiership over the last two years.

Former Metropolitan police commissioner Lord Stevens, who has been asked by the Premier League to conduct the official inquiry into bungs, is due to reveal his findings on October 2.

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore insists the top flight's governing body will be ready to punish any parties found guilty of corruption as a result of Lord Stevens' report.

"What we've always said is we'll go where the evidence leads us. I, at this stage, do not know what will be in the Lord Stevens inquiry," he said.

The Telegraph contacted Peter Harrison but he refused to comment and said Todd would not make any comment before watching the programme.

The programme is on BBC1 tonight at 9pm.