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John Sergeant quits Strictly

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Marie Claire Celebrity news: John Sergeant pulls out of strictly come dancing

John Sergeant, former ITV political editor, has quit Strictly Come Dancing, after a three-day attack from the programme's judges over his continuing presence on the show.

Dubbed the 'dancing pig', the 64-year-old has decided to pull out of this year's show – despite being favourite to take the dance title – after the severity of criticism from the judging panel.

In a statement, Sergeant said: 'The trouble is that there is now a real danger that I might win the competition. Even for me that would be a joke too far.'

SEE ALL THE STRICTLY DANCE STARS HERE

READ MARIE CLAIRE'S BLOG ON JOHN'S DEPARTURE HERE

Strictly judge Arlene Phillips, who led the onslaught against the dance contender, commented on the news saying: 'I'm always sad if a contestant leaves of choice, because you are always expecting to let the public vote them in or out - but John is his own person and he has his own reasons for doing this.'

When asked if Phillips felt responsible for Sergeant's departure she replied: 'Not really. If you look back, we've actually been quite nice on this programme.'

While she admitted that the former political correspondent had provided the public with many 'funny, funny moments' there was no doubting that the judges were becoming increasingly frustrated with his continuing success on the show.

Sergeant continued his statement saying: 'It was always my intention to have fun on the show and I was hoping to stay in as long as possible.'

He thanked Russian dance partner Kristina Rihanoff and 'all those viewers who have been rooting for me through the series'.

Earlier today it was revealed that BBC bosses had made a change in the rules to stop dancers like Sergeant getting so far in future competitions.

The new rules mean a contestant who finishes bottom of the judges' leader board three weeks in a row will be automatically ejected, without the chance to save themselves in a dance off.

A source told the Daily Express, 'Rule changes are definitely afoot for the next series and the one that is being discussed would certainly please the judges because it would give them more power.'

The new rules won't come into play until the next series, but Sergeant has already decided to take matters into his own hands and quit the show.

If the news has brought a tear to your eye, don't panic, Sergeant will make his final appearance on Saturday night's show before taking his final bow.

SEE JOHN AND ALL THE STARS IN OUR SPECIAL STRICTLY COME DANCING GALLERY

Wednesday 19 November 2008

Have your say ...

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I WONT BE WATCHING ANY MORE
Comment by Naomi J. Thomas on November 19 13:05

I think it is very sad. It should be the public that decide. I have to say that the judges are really winding me up this year.. more than ever. It's for charity, not a life changing experience for the celebrities!! Can we get some reality here
Comment by Sarah on November 19 13:08

How sad that this pressure was put on such a pleasant man. The judges did bully him. Criticism often goes to far in the name of entertainment.
Comment by PJ on November 19 13:08

I am sorry about that. He was bullied off. To call him a 'pig' is grossly offensive and shows the judges up not John... this whole thing is a farce. It is light entertainent on a saturday evening and the audience do NOT JUDGE OON THE DANCE that is precisely why the producer has it in the rules the audience can DISREGARD the judges. The judges know that full well. If theydo not want this, take the audience participation out and have a straight boring dance judging. watch the numbers watching drop markedly. John broke no rules at all and I do not think he should have left, but the judges made it impossible for him to stay. I blame the judges entirely. The acted MOST UNPROFESSIONALLY HERRE AND TOOK THEMSELVES TOO SERIOUSLY FOR A REALLITY FUN SHOW. THEY TOOK ALL THE FUNOUT. SHAME ON ALL OF THEM. I WILL NOT WATCH IT AGAIN AND SUSPECT OTHERS ALSO WILL DO THIS. TIME TO GO BRUCIE. get if off air. It is no longer doing whatit says on the tin, in fact, we are lied to. they just want the money from the phone calls. disgusting. illegal. dishonest
Comment by jane on November 19 13:12

John has been disgustingly called a PIG amongst other names by judges taking themselves far too seriously on a fun, lighthearted reality show the public judge in too in expensive phone line rates. John brokeNO RULES AT ALL and the public voted for him because of the judges....don't they get that? It was voting AGAINST THEM not FOR John. They have all behaved appallingly. Time to go now Brucie and get this travesty off the air. I will never watch it again. the rules were thereto follow, if the judges don't like them THEY NOT JOHN SHOULD GO. Lying, conniving and rude idiots.
Comment by jane on November 19 13:13

I feel that it is incredibly unfair that John has been pressurised into quitting the show simply because of the way the judges feel, but what a proud and honorable man...you go John.
Comment by Karen Towers on November 19 13:15

WHAT A SHAME - THAT JOHN SERGEANT WAS MADE TO FEEL LIKE THIS TO QUIT.

WHAT IS THE POINT OF HAVING A VOTING SYSTEM AND PEOPLE STILL GET CRITISISED FOR BEING POLULAR. DANCING IS NOT JUST A YOUNG PERSON'S HOBBY ETC. AND I'M NOT OLD MYSELF FOR SAYING THIS.

JOHN IS NOT EVEN MY FAVOURITE - BUT HE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO QUIT - BECAUSE OF THE JUDGES COMMENTS! RE-THINK JOHN.

CLEA MYLONAS
Comment by Clea Mylonas on November 19 13:16

Although, I feel sad that John has felt uncomfortable with the remarks from the judges, I do believe it is the right action for him to take. It is a competitive show and to see good dancers go over someone whom does not come up to scratch was getting more and more frustrating and I was getting the stage that I was seriously going to stop watching the show, because I thought it so unfair. I take my hat off to John for having the courage to do it.
Comment by Mary on November 19 13:24

People are taking this far too seriously.....

It's supposed to be entertainment. Which it was with John in the show.
Comment by Marie Lewis on November 19 13:28

Whilst it is good that he has agreed to go to avoid a possible "catastrophe" by him winning the competition due to "misguided" viewers, it is a shame he has taken so long to decide so. If he had had the courage , or sense, to do so earlier, it would have saved some much better dancers from having to go in his place. After all this is a competition to see who can learn to dance after all.
Comment by Dave on November 19 13:29

well it is supposed to be a dance competition, we all go mad at the eurovision, because people vote for other reasons than the song, i think he is making a noble gesture.
Comment by kelly on November 19 13:42

everyone should now boycott "strictly". When they dont get the viewing figures or phone money maybe they will realise what this programme is about for the British public, a bit of light hearted entertainment, not a serious talent competition. If he had stayed whoever came second to him would have known they were the best dancer. All the moaners who have been knocked out would only have been knocked out the next week if John had gone instead of them.
Comment by dianne on November 19 13:43

So much for the publics' choice, nice to know our opinion counts. So what is the point of viewers participation in voting. I am sure this will put a lot of people off watching the show now & is it not an 'entertainment' show!

Comment by Pauline Fowler on November 19 13:53

Its a shame that it has come to this, the people to blame are those viewers who kept voting for him when he was obviously the worst dancer. It is not a popularity contest, and those viewers have actually not helped John but made his life much more stressful and taken the fun out of his appearance on the show. But I do agree with the Judges the other contestants who work so hard and are obviously not the worst dancers should not have to leave the show or it does make a mockery of the whole thing.
Comment by Della Palmer on November 19 14:05

I am really sad John is quitting, he is our favourite here at The Body Shop. It should be about entertainment and what the public enjoy as well as competition. It is not lik ethe X factor where the contestants are looking for a career.

John you are our favourite!!

thx
Comment by Ruth on November 19 14:15

I agree with John Sergeant that the programme is to be enjoyed and to see the non-dancing celebrity who ever they are doing their thing and enjoying it. I have always gone for the under-dog to see how they get on, there as been worse one's then John. It is a programme to be enjoyed and for the viewers to have their say. But the judge's voted the wrong one off on Saturday night Cherie Lunghi was the best of the two couples even Arlene said something was missing in Lisa dance so even the judge's get it wrong.
And I also think that with John going that Cherie Lunghi should be bought back into the show.

I Love The Show. Gwen
Comment by G.Gahagan on November 19 14:28

Good for John bringing integrity to a rediculous programme and earning a great pesonal victory out of defeat It's no wonder this modest man has won the public's admiration.Now let's see him in "I'm a celebrity get me out of here"!!!
Comment by robin maclean on November 19 14:32

Surely its the publics choice who stays in,its them that pays to watch the show,everyone else gets paid to be there.
Comment by cgreen on November 19 14:37

This is such good news.
I think there was a real danger this was going to jeopardise the future of "Strictly".
At least this way John Sergeant has done the honorable thing and talented dancers remain!
Let's applaud the BBC for their decision to change the rules.
Comment by Jenny C on November 19 14:44

This is utterly ridiculous... what happened to freedom of speech?
If the viewers wish to watch him then they should be able to, they're paying the license fee and paying for phone calls to keep him in, the power hungry judges and the BBC should not have the power to overule the public vote, as it makes a mockery of the whole process.
It's an entertainment show, and John Sergeant was particularly entertaining.
Comment by Rachel on November 19 14:47

The only reason I was watching the programme was for John. I see absolutely no reason why the frustration of the judges should play any part in the matter. I feel John was extremely dignified and there was a quality to his dancing which no amount of polish could compete with!
Comment by Ned on November 19 15:03

I think John should have stayed, he was playing by the rules and working as hard as he could at his dancing - and entertaining the public through his efforts. A good suggestion I heard on a radio show is that they should divide it up, like the X Factor, according to age, then Cherie would maybe still be in and John would be being 'judged'on a more level playing field - perhaps there is some mileage in exploring this. The show is fantastic and I will miss John, he was doing his best, and feel bad for Kristina too.
Melanie - Leicester
Comment by melanie on November 19 15:10

I thought that Strictly was all about entertainment; if contestants play by the rules then they shouldn't be critised for staying in the competition.
If audience partcipation is allowed then the judges have to accept the public's choice as it is the public who are responsible for the success of the show by continuing to watch it.
It spoils it for me when the judges over criticise people like John (and Kate and Fiona from GMTV)in such a manner. The judges and professional dancers get paid enough to be on the show and the audience pay enough to vote by phone so the judges shouldn't critise the people who vote.
Comment by Hilary on November 19 16:16

We won't be watching anymore - John made it entertaining.
Comment by Susie on November 19 17:36

Thank heaven he has gone, he should have gone the first week and to all his fans??? this is after all a DANCE contest not a so called celebrity contest he made a mockery of the show
Comment by Cristine Foster on November 19 19:46

I don't think he should have gone. It's an entertainment show and I think he should have been able to appear until he was voted off. It wouldn't matter if he had got to the final. He would get there because of the public vote and people pay a lot of money to vote. The judges seemed a bit too harsh sometimes. I think the judges think they are on 'Come Dancing' and get too serious about the technecalities. They tried to bring that programme back before.
Comment by Jan on November 19 22:28

Im quite glad that John has decided to quit. I can understand that why people were voting- he was funny to watch! But when he's at the same poor standard each week it just gets beyond a joke. Couples have have been voted off the competition when they are far better dancers. And as dancer myself I find it an insult to think that couples with so much talent have been voted off due to the people at homes lack of true appreciation of dance. I mean- strictly is a dance competition- not Britain's got talent!
Comment by anita on November 19 23:01

I'm furious and will stop being a fan of the show - we weren't voting for John to go against the judges, merely because we enjoyed his performances the most. If it was meant to be about what the judges wanted, why do we waste our money voting?
Comment by Alice on November 20 10:49

Yes it is an entertainment show, it's an entertainment show about learning to dance. And the judges are there to judge the dancing not the celebrity or their personality. John has a personality but he can't dance, so it's right he should go. The show is still entertaining. I love Strictly for showing how far people who couldn't dance before can come. It's great to see the talent. If I wanted to watch someone who made me laugh all the time I'd tune into a stand-up show. Strictly is about the dancing and entertainment, not just the entertainment. If you were just judging on someones personality then you could have any old judges on the panel. And it would become just another talent show, not a dancing competition.
Comment by Becca on November 20 13:19

John did make me laugh to start with, but now I think he's just embarassing to watch. If that's the standard viewers want to see why should the other contestants bother practising? they should just go out there and walk about for 90 seconds.
Comment by Jeannie Bartlett on November 20 13:48

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