BEATLES - BEATLES REUNION WAS IN PROGRESS, SAYS PRODUCER

THE BEATLES were planning their reunion when JOHN LENNON was murdered, according to the record producer working with the late rocker on the night he was shot.

JACK DOUGLAS, who produced Lennon's final album DOUBLE FANTASY, has revealed that Lennon and PAUL McCARTNEY were talking about working together on a RINGO STARR solo album.

Douglas says, "He and Paul planned to play on a Ringo album and that's how they were planning to do it, and GEORGE (HARRISON) had not come aboard yet.

"George was already in a lot of hot water with John because of George releasing his autobiography and not really mentioning much of John in it. But I think they assumed that George would come along as soon as the thing got going."

And Douglas also claims Lennon's wife YOKO ONO actively blocked a Beatles reunion.

He adds, "Let's just put it this way - Yoko discouraged Paul coming around.

"There was a writing session somewhere in the Dakota (building where Lennon and Ono lived) and there was one cancelled which John did not know about. He was told that Paul did not show. Paul was told that John was too busy to be working with him that day."

Lennon was assassinated by MARK DAVID CHAPMAN 25 years ago today (08DEC80) at the age of 40. The Beatles split in 1970.