The former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Louisa Lytton and the TV star Les Dennis react to news of John Sergeant's departure from the BBC show

Video http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/vide...ictly-reaction

John Sergeant has pulled out of Strictly Come Dancing, after mounting criticism from the judges of the show.

John has failed to impress the judges on the show with his routines, but manages to avoid getting the boot every week after massive support from the public.

But the judges have criticised viewers for keeping him in out of popularity more than his dancing skills.

And now John has decided to quit the show because he fears he could go on to win it.

In a statement, he 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.

"It was always my intention to have fun on the show and I was hoping to stay in as long as possible."

He may not have the skills, but for entertainment value, he will be sadly missed.

Source/video http://www.star-magazine.co.uk/break...uits-Strictly/

Great stuff. It really does put a perspective on the important things in life.

Sorry to upset you, I decided to provide this thread to gather the news, video and reaction to this story.

There are lots of threads but all use a different angle of a given story.

Mark Austin, the ITN anchorman, hasn't got a problem with John Sergeant strutting his stuff in Strictly Come Dancing.

He's free from the straitjacket of serious news because he's retired as a political correspondent," Austin tells me, who said he decided against doing Dancing on Ice when the producers came begging.

"I realised my career, hamstring, marriage, dignity and the viewing figures would never survive it," he says.

"I suggested Huw [Edwards]. He's younger than me."

Strange but true: his hirsute BBC rival is 47 whereas Austin turned 50 this month.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...the-floor.html

John Sergeant has quit Strictly Come Dancing after protests from the judging panel about his continued participation.

Sergeant's dramatic departure comes amid reports that the show's producers are considering a new "three strikes and you're out" rule.

Under the new rules, which would be adopted for the next series, a contestant who finishes bottom of the judges' leader board for three weeks in a row will be automatically ejected without participating in a dance-off.

If Sergeant had been subject to this rule, he would have been removed from the show by now.

One of the show's judges, Arlene Phillips, has accused Sergeant of undermining the programme and has said she would be "desolate" if he won.

Cherie Lunghi, the actress who lost out in the most recent dance-off, accused the former political journalist of turning the show into a "soap opera".

Full story http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...e-Dancing.html

awwwww poor Len, you can see he was just being silly fir the paps and they have turned it into jubilant len

I feel as bereft as I'm sure you do (unless you're Arlene Phillips). John Sergeant has quit Strictly Come Dancing.

He says he was worried he might win. Although surely not as worried as Arlene was.

The judges will say his absence will mean that we can take the competition seriously again. I think it means that we can't. Because now we'll never know whether Sergeant would have won. Therefore the person who does win may have done so only by default.

The only way we could have taken Strictly seriously this year - if indeed we DO want to take it seriously (and I don't) - is if Sergeant had stayed in the competition but been eventually knocked out by the public vote.

So Austin, Christine, Jodie, Lisa, Rachel, Tom - no matter which of you wins in the end, this series will now be remembered solely as John's.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/michael...rgeant_back_in

Craig Revel Horwood has said that John Sergeant's decision to leave Strictly Come Dancing lacked courage.

The political expert pulled out of the contest today amid fears that his public support could skew the voting and see him win ahead of better dancers.

"I was quite shocked to hear the news," Revel Horwood told Claudia Winkleman on spinoff It Takes Two.

"I think it's very odd that someone enter a competition and then does not have the courage to go all the way with it."

Revel Horwood also said he had faith that the British public would not have voted Sergeant into the final.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/strictly...o-courage.html

This clip has just been uploaded

John & Kristina Pt 1
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok6VHiy9CV0

Many thanks to Maltipom

Week 1 http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Kc9auw7_xj4
Week 3 http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=bVaNZSeFXCM
Week 5 http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=UB7sSODL7R4
Week 6 http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_n_j4S6fNBs
Week 7 http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=sqGn0UikTOM
Week 8 http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XbAAd9v-CcA
Week 9 http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kC3gtHvYG-g

Clips from Maltipom's You Tube account - Many Thanks for your hard work.

Strictly Come Dancing host Bruce Forsyth has said that John Sergeant's departure from the show will disappoint the public.

Video http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7738530.stm

What James Jordan actually said on ITT: Transcript


'Borrowed from another thread http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s...d.php?t=935902

The Richard Bacon show starting at 11pm will be talking about Strictly and the days events including John's exit.

I think this thead has a fair place on the board , it's informative and interesting.

Greytop keeps us in the know on everything Strictly , thank you for posting Greytop.

Yes lots of coverage on this. There I was watching Newsnight and I was astonished to see them do a long debate on this topic, with Jeremy Paxman questioning government minister Hazel Blears and veteran journalist Kelvin Mackenzie. It seems the ripples of this incident are being felt in the highest and deepest corners of the establishment. And the Guardian apparently thinks it is all a plot hatched by Peter Mandelson.

John & Kristina Pt 2
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=V6-TkLsUHh8

Well John knew the percentage of votes that he received so, even if he hadn't made the final, he would probably have lasted at least another couple of weeks.

What Craig said about "courage" etc is typical of someone who has been unpleasant. We all saw the clip of Craig having another go at John at the bottom of the stairs after the show. He's trying to turn it all round to blame John. Not fair!

The 64-year-old former BBC political correspondent brushed off suggestions he had been bullied and said he left to avoid a "bloody battle". He said there was a real danger he might win and told a press conference at BBC Television Centre in London: "That is a frightening thought, it is a terrifying thought.

BBC1 controller Jay Hunt announced that anyone who had voted for Sergeant and wanted to be reimbursed would be. The BBC's website has been flooded with comments from "strictly incensed" viewers angry at his departure.

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson added his voice of support. He said: "John Sergeant should not bow out. He has become the people's John Travolta and he should be a fighter, not a quitter."

Sergeant will end his dancing career with a last waltz on Saturday, saying after that: "I shall return to my rather quiet life."

Full Story http://www.blackpoolcitizen.co.uk/uk...victory_fears/

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-...ber_20%2C_2008

I haven't seen this, can someone point me in the right direction to view it?

[quote=Greytop_1967;28879287]

[B]John pulls out[/b]

You should have put that as your thread title Greytop I wonder what the comments would have been then?

Why bother to open the thread & comment on it? Are you the DS Thread Police in disguise?

Greytop does a sterling Job of providing links to any SCD news & Youtube uploads


Thanks GT

It might have pleased the judges, but John Sergeant's surprise decision to waltz off Strictly Come Dancing has sparked a furious backlash against the BBC.

Some fans accused the judges of hounding the leaden-footed former political journalist off the hugely popular Saturday night show.

Many threatened to boycott the programme and others demanded - and were promised - a refund of money spent on phone calls supporting the unlikeliest star on the dance floor.

The BBC switchboard and its dedicated Strictly Come Dancing website were flooded with angry comments.

One MP, Tory Nigel Evans, said it would be a 'complete disgrace' if 64-year-old Sergeant had been 'elbowed out' by the BBC because his lamentable performances threatened to turn the show into a joke.

Even Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, who earlier this week said he would like to be asked on the show, took the opportunity to join the debate. He said: 'John Sergeant should not bow out. He has become the people's John Travolta.'

And echoing his own famous victory speech after holding on to his Hartlepool seat in 2001, Lord Mandelson added: 'He should be a fighter, not a quitter.'

However Communities Secretary Hazel Blears added: ''John Sergeant jumped at just the right moment. Otherwise the joke would have turned sour quite quickly and there would have been a massive backlash against him.'



Daily Mail article continues here.

BBC viewers are lamenting the departure from their screens of one of the corporation's most prized entertainers.

Unfortunately, it is not Jonathan Ross who has gone, but John Sergeant, who has decided to quit Celebrity Come Dancing because he feared he might actually win the contest.

We are sorry to see Sergeant leave. His continued presence spoke volumes for the contrarian instincts of the British people and punctured the absurd self-importance of the judges, who consider the programme to be a talent show rather than a bit of fun.

Link