Strictly Come Dancing chiefs are reportedly concerned that fans may boycott the show's voting following John Sergeant's departure.

Producers are said to be expecting an audience boost tonight as Sergeant and his dance partner Kristina Rihanoff perform together for the final time.

However, the controversy surrounding Sergeant's exit has led to fears that angry fans may no longer support their favourite contestants by voting, according to the Daily Star.

An insider told the newspaper: "People are incredibly angry at the judges. To get their point across, they may refuse to pick up the phone."

Sergeant was backed in the public vote every week, despite receiving low marks from the panel. However, he decided to pull out of the programme this week, claiming that winning would be "a joke too far".

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/strictly...g-boycott.html

MILLIONS of fans will tune in tonight to see John Sergeant perform his last dance.

The former ITN political editor will dance the waltz with partner Kristina Rihanoff, 29, as a farewell to his loyal supporters.

John, 64, quit the show this week after the judges campaigned to get him axed.

His decision means there will now be just two stars in the final.

But BBC bosses are braced for a backlash from fans when the shows airs on BBC1 at 6.20pm, with insiders fearing viewers may snub the voting.

One said: “People are incredibly angry at the judges. To get their point across, they may refuse to pick up the phone.”

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/view...ly-last-waltz/

7:18pm: John and Kristina are back for their last dance. She is wearing a beautiful gold dress, and it's like watching a proud dad dancing with his daughter at a wedding. Quite lovely. I shall miss him, sob.

He gets a standing ovation, apart from the judges, who ain't moving.

John makes a small speech, and thanks the public and the judges for the extraordinary way they have whipped up support in their favour, haha. He also pays tribute to the lovely Kristina, who he thinks is the best dancer in the world. She is crying, and thanks John, who she adores. Aww.

More from the blog at http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/orga...ing-television

Heartbroken Kristina Rihanoff tells how the judges’ “cheap, derogatory” comments week after week drove the political journalist to DESPAIR until he was “broken by cruelty”.

She SLAMS judge Arlene Phillips for being the worst of his tormentors. And she reveals how her AFFECTION for the little newsman grew over the weeks they worked together on the dance floor—even though she first thought he “might not make it because of his physique”.

Kristina knew something was up as they rehearsed last Tuesday. The spark was gone. “When we first got together John was like a giddy schoolboy,” she says. “Even on the week we got 12 points for our Cha Cha Cha—and Craig Revel Horwood said he wished he could have given us a zero—we just laughed it off.

“At first the judges would apologise behind the scenes and John would make a joke like ‘don’t worry, I know where you live.’

“But on Tuesday something had changed. John was sad. He was no longer smiling and joking.

“I know he felt especially bad about Cherie Lunghi and James Jordan being kicked off on Sunday. Plus, the judges had started really humiliating him.”

On Wednesday morning, she got a message from him at her London flat saying: “I need to talk to you.” Her heart sank.

Kristina said: “I knew it wasn’t going to be good when I called him. He told me he wanted out of the show. He said, ‘I can’t take it any more—I am going to leave. There is no fun any more in all of this.’”

She says: “I will continue to do the group dances—they are great fun. But I wish it hadn't turned out like this. I want to thank everyone who voted for us. And as for John, he is the kindest man I know.

“In my mind I have won with him—and I hope we’ll always be friends.”

Full Story http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/show...peaks-out.html

I'm sure everyone wishes John the best of luck

The secret boyfriend of Strictly Come Dancing star Kristina Rihanoff last night branded John Sergeant as "cowardly and pathetic".

Former world ballroom champion Corky Ballas said: "It's unbelievable that he has walked out. Kristina's very disappointed and so am I."

BBC bosses were determined to play down the backstage row after the most controversial week in Strictly's history. But Sergeant couldn't resist one last pop at the judges, while Kristina couldn't hold back her tears.

Corky, 47, whose identity has been kept under wraps by Kristina, spoke out after the Sunday Mirror tracked him down to Los Angeles.

A pro-dancer in Dancing With The Stars - the American version of Strictly - he slammed John for his walk-out saying: "I think it's pathetic. It's cowardly. It's stupid.

Judges Arlene Philips, Craig Revel Horwood, Bruno Tonioli and Len Goodman looked uncomfortable as John added: "I certainly wasn't pushed, that's not me Bruce, is it? I had a marvellous time. It's been strictly fantastic."

Kristina in a figure-hugging plunging gold dress wept as she said: "I'd like to say a big thank you to the production of the show for bringing me over here and pairing me with John from the first day. I want to say to John, I admire you, I respect and adore you."

Host Bruce Forsyth told John: "We are so sorry you're leaving. You could have gone on... into the next series even."

Full Story http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/lates...5875-20916357/

Popular John Sergeant received TWICE as many viewers' votes as his nearest rival before he quit, The People can reveal.

Despite dancing badly again last week with partner Kristina Rihanoff, he gained 1.7million votes - 35 per cent of the total.

Holby City actor Tom Chambers came next with around 890,000.

Source http://www.people.co.uk/news/tm_head...name_page.html

EXCLUSIVE STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL: TRUTH ABOUT TV WALK-OUT THAT SHOCKED MILLIONS Strictly Come Dancing ARLENE HITS BACK I AM JUST DOING MY JOB

No-NONSENSE Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips has hit back as John Sergeant quit the show last night amid claims of backstage bullying.

Arlene, 64, said: "John simply wasn't a very good dancer - period - and in my view had no right to be a genuine contender to win the competition.

The outspoken Manchester-born choreographer said: "You have to remember that my job is clear when I am judging.


"I just think about what I have to do, and say, to get what I want, to either improve the performance of the person in front of me or decide whether they are right for the parts that are being cast.


"It is not about whether they are hurt, or otherwise, by what I am saying to them - that doesn't really enter the equation.


"In fact, I can't recall a single incident where I have lain in bed at night thinking 'I wish I hadn't said that'. If I think about anything, when I go to bed at night it's usually to do with forthcoming work and nothing to do with whether I've upset someone.

"I don't go out of my way to hurt people's feelings, I honestly don't. But nor do I hold back if I'm watching something that clearly isn't up to scratch.

"And a lot of what John did wasn't up to scratch, even though he was improving towards the end."

Arlene added: "If you look back, we've actually been quite nice on this programme towards him, we've tried to bring out the best in him."

Full Story http://www.people.co.uk/news/news/tm...name_page.html

So my former colleague John Sergeant has waltzed off into the sunset secure in the knowledge that he’s now a national treasure.

There are so many reality TV shows now that the scope for humiliation is limitless.

I was asked to do Dancing On Ice but politely declined on the grounds that my hamstrings, marriage, dignity and career would never survive.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/columni...5875-20915706/

STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL: TRUTH ABOUT TV WALK-OUT THAT SHOCKED MILLIONS Strictly Come Dancing
Not all the celebrity dancers were amused by John seeming to revel in having two left feet and his pride at being unable to dance for love or TV fame.

When The People quizzed one rather more serious-minded star at a London hotel last week over their true feelings about the podgy ex-journo they hissed: "He's a self-obsessed p***k. A f***ing idiot."

http://www.people.co.uk/news/news/tm...name_page.html

John's shocked partner Kristina Rihanoff blasted the judges for bullying him and failing to take account of his age when marking.

Russian-born Kristina, 31, said: "The treatment given to John by the judges was not right. He is a 64-year-old man, so compared to Rachel Stevens maybe he wasn't good - but it's not fair to think like that.

"He wasn't rubbish. John had his own style. He tried so hard and really improved. When we practiced I knew that he was putting his heart and soul into this. We worked very hard to improve his dancing.

"The viewers saw that and that is why they were voting for him. But the judges didn't see it like that."

The stunning blonde added: "I cried all day when he said he was leaving. We had come so far together. He was a hero to me. I tried to persuade him to stay."

Source http://www.people.co.uk/news/news/tm...name_page.html

Every Saturday night I watch Strictly Come Dancing with my two young daughters.

My husband would rather remove his eyeballs with pliers, but for us it’s a frothy night of fun.

One of the highlights was watching John Sergeant drag Siberian bombshell Kristina Rihanoff around the floor as if she were a shopping buggy.

It didn’t matter if the dance was a waltz or an erotic tango, John always looked as if he were sauntering down the fruit and veg aisle at Tesco.

Full Option http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/columni...5875-20915709/

The nation's latest and most unlikely love affair drew to a close today when John Sergeant took to the dancefloor for his final waltz on Strictly Come Dancing.
After the uproar over his untimely exit it was a case of the show must go on for the rest of the dancers - as they fought for their places in the final.

But for Sergeant it was simply time to say goodbye - with the help of glamorous blonde Russian partner Kristina Rihanoff, who then broke down as she thanked him.

'I certainly wasn't pushed Brucey,' he insisted. 'I have had a marvellous time. It has been Strictly fantastic.'

After thanking all the viewers who voted for him he added a tongue-in-cheek goodbye to the judges.

'I would like to thank the judges for the extraordinary way in which they upped the public support in our favour last week.'

Full Story http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...ctly-good.html

The end, when it came, could not have been less glamorous – there was no glittering trophy, no applause, no spangles or sexy gown. Kristina Rihanoff was asleep in her rented one-bedroom flat in Central London when a text message came through on her mobile phone, at 8am on Wednesday. It read: ‘Call me when you get this, I need to talk to you.’

For ten weeks the glamorous Russian dancer had, somewhat improbably, steered the portly journalist through round after round of the Saturday reality programme. She had stood silently by his side as the judges heaped cutting criticism on him, despite the fact that 11million viewers loved him.

They spoke for nearly ten minutes, with Kristina desperately trying to persuade John to change his mind. After weeks of being pilloried by the show’s judges for his lack of rhythm, his wooden movements and, much to Kristina’s disgust, his physical shortcomings, the former political editor was adamant.

She tried to reason with him. ‘I asked him if there was anything I could do to change his mind. I said, “John, we have an amazing number for our next routine, let’s go do it.” He said it wasn’t fair on the others. His voice was steady and unemotional, but I could detect some weariness. I knew he was also physically exhausted from dancing six days every week.’

Kristina still wanted him to fight on. ‘I’m not a quitter but I didn’t have a right to force him to do it if he didn’t want to. I was sad but I didn’t think, “Oh my God, the world is going to crash.”’

A Long item but lots of detail http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/ar...-Rihanoff.html

31.3% Yes
68.7% No

This poll is now closed

Source http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/poll...omedancing-bbc

Item number 1 m'lord

Considering the nest of vipers into which he found himself delivered, John Sergeant could be forgiven for asking himself this week if he somehow managed to stray into the wrong reality show.

Because what must, on first glance, have appeared to be the mildly diverting prospect of a few weeks of gentle foxtrotting on Strictly Come Dancing, rapidly became a quickstep into the kind of rat-infested jungle that makes I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here! seem like a waltz in the park.

'In public, everyone on Strictly makes out how much they love him, but in reality you are dealing with some very fragile egos. They are jealous of him because he has managed effortlessly to win over the public. Some people on the show can't forgive him for that.'

Senior Strictly sources revealed to me this week that the atmosphere had become so bad on the set that BBC executives had been planning to bring the cast together this week for a 'clear the air' meeting in a bid to head off a revolt.

Full Story http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...geant-out.html

News that John Sergeant had quit the BBC talent show Strictly Come Dancing shocked the country on Wednesday, then again on Thursday, yet again on Friday and it is still shocking people today, right now.

It may even be, say experts, one of those shocks that continue to shock for all time.

'Last Wednesday, I was just settling down for an afternoon of television, after a morning of television, when normal transmission was interrupted for a newsflash.

'I braced myself. Had Obama been assassinated? Had Iran launched a nuclear weapon? Had the Queen died? Had QVC run out of diamonique or cancelled card-craft hour?
'I was prepared for those, but the fact that John Sergeant had quit Strictly Come Dancing? How could anyone be prepared for that?'

The news, she continues, 'knocked me for six. I struggled to breathe, shook, had to hold onto the armchair to steady myself. The horror of it, the sheer, senseless horror - particularly as I had voted for him, twice.

Full Story & Cartoon http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/ar...rld-known.html

The judges, by contrast, are nose- in-the-air elitists, banging on about it being a dance competition, which is why the public sought to undermine them with a vote for Sergeant. It is not a dance competition. The BBC had a dance competition. It was called Come Dancing and went out at around the same time as the milk bottles and the cat because nobody was interested. Niles Crane, brother of the sitcom psychiatrist Frasier, coined the best definition of ballroom dancing while being taught the foxtrot by Daphne. “This is boring, yet difficult,” he said.

Sergeant would no doubt have recognised that appraisal. Arlene Phillips, a judge, and formerly responsible for the tedious bit in the Kenny Everett Television Show as director of the mind-numbing dance troupe Hot Gossip (I was a child of the Seventies and, believe me, Debbie Harry had more sexuality in her belly-button fluff), claimed that he read The Guardian when he should have been practising.........

Full Story http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/com...cle5201229.ece

JOHN Sergeant was handed a boozy send-off last night after being completely shunned by the other celebrities on last week’s show.

The 64-year-old political journalist had no friends left seven days ago.

But last night the remaining celebs and their dance partners gave him a rousing send-off following his shock decision to quit the series.

A BBC source said: “Everyone was so shocked when John got through last week that they literally could not speak to him.

“So as a way of making it up to him they laid on a special boozy do last night after his last dance.”

And we can reveal bosses may now change next year’s voting system.

One suggestion is to guarantee the survival of the top two scoring celebs from the judges’ votes each week. Another is to put the lowest scoring celeb straight into the dance-off.

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/view...-boozy-salute/

STRICTLY COME DANCING star John Sergeant was given a special send-off last night after his last waltz in front of the cameras.

It was an emotional and rousing exit. Former S Club 7 singer Rachel Stevens said the other contestants had planned something special for Sergeant last night, despite reports that they had shunned him during the series.

Rachel, 29, said: “We will have a drink and send him off in style. We didn’t shun John, not at all. We all got on really well. We are all, at the end of the day, in the same boat and have the same feelings and excitement about the show. We are kind of a big team.

“I now think anyone can win. It has always been an intense competition. you just never know who is going to be in the bottom two.”

Rachel also backed the judges after Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy called for them to be sacked. He said: “We need to get rid of the judges rather than John. The judges don’t know what this programme is all about.

“It’s family entertainment and good fun and John is emblematic of that, rather than taking himself so seriously.”

Full Story http://www.sundayexpress.co.uk/posts...t-s-last-waltz

John Sergeant's wife Mary is said to be pleased that the political analyst has quit Strictly Come Dancing.

Sergeant this week decided to leave the show as he feared he could win it due to his popularity with voters despite being a bad dancer.

“For Mary this was all too much and she urged John to reconsider his position. John going on the show was a great idea to begin with and the whole family thought it was a hoot.

"But as the weeks went on, and the media attention grew, Mary was becoming increasingly uneasy with the whole situation. She is a very private person and this was not what she expected."
Full Story
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/strictly...with-exit.html

YOU don’t survive for decades in the cut-throat, shark-infested waters of political journalism without being a canny operator – as John Sergeant has proved beyond all doubt this week.

Sensing that staying in Strictly Come Dancing might well backfire horribly, John decided to take charge of the situation and hang up his dancing shoes.

The man who survived a “hand-bagging” by Margaret Thatcher when she was Prime Minister knew all too well that by handing in his resignation at this point in the competition he would come out smelling of roses.

John was one of the few, along with the delightful Jodie Kidd, to actually look as though they were having a good time.

Full Story http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...cle1958960.ece

For the best part of an hour there was a John Sergeant-shaped hole in BBC1 last night. And since fans of Strictly Come Dancing have become highly enamoured of the unique geometry of the former ITN political editor, that gap was never going to be an easy one to fill.

'It's been a difficult week,' Brucie admitted after the first dance. Did Len Goodman - chair of the judges, nemesis of Sergeant - have anything to say? He did. 'We're really sorry that John decided to leave because he's given us and the viewers so much entertainment.' (Perfunctory applause).

But for all their fancy footwork, the celebs couldn't scatter the cloud.

The moment had come: the cloud was ready to burst. The man himself, in black tie and tails, took to the limelit floor with his partner and waltzed. It would be nice to say that he waltzed like he'd never waltzed before. But he waltzed exactly as he no doubt always has: shuffling feet, occasional trots, concentration wrestling with boredom for control of his cuddly-gargoyle features. He got a long, standing ovation.

The judges looked pert, but remained seated

Then he thanked the public, the judges (for 'the extraordinary way they whipped up public support' for him) and, finally, Kristina Rihanoff, whom he described as 'beautiful and brilliant.'

She welled up. She paid tribute back. 'I admire you, I respect you, I adore you,' she told him.

And as the tension finally broke, as the storm cloud dispersed, Kristina's tears fell like hot rain on to the dancefloor - the one with the John Sergeant-shaped hole.

Full Story http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008...omedancing-bbc

JOHN Sergeant’s last dance on Strictly was a huge hit for the show - pulling in more than 11 million viewers.
The 64-year-old danced a final waltz with partner Kristina Rihanoff to Norah Jones ballad Come Away With Me on Saturday’s show – and millions tuned in to watch his last appearance on the BBC1 series.

The show peaked with an impressive 11.1m viewers, or 44.8 per cent of the audience, at 7pm.

But it still didn’t outshine X Factor, which was watched by 12.1m people at its peak.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...cle1965525.ece