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."

"I think it's pathetic. It's cowardly. It's stupid."

Strictly dancer Lilya Kopylova, one of Kristina's closest friends on the show, said: "Kristina is devastated. She's been very upset all week.

"She worked so hard and put in a lot of effort to turn John into a good dancer and then he just walked.

"She is very disappointed. It was her first year on the show and she never expected it to end like this.

"Nobody does Strictly for the money. When you're a dancer, you always go in hoping for the best and Kristina thought she could win it.

"She's not sure if she will come back to appear in the final."

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

That isn't how Kristina appeared last night. And the things she has said do not seem to back up this story.

Oh FFS he's a 64 year old bloke who went on a dance show for a bit of fun, and finds himself in the middle of all this. Corky whatsisname is a pro dancer, (as are Kristina, Lilya and all the rest of them) - what right does he have to say that about someone who has had much flak as John has had to contend with? I'm sorry, I don't believe for one minute that Kristina thought she could win it and is upset because 'cowardly' John has prevented her from doing so! In fact I don't believe a word of this ridiculous interview.

I agree, it sounds like rubbish to me too.

Oh FGS! Anyone would think he had deserted his post in a war zone not resigned from a light entertainment show. Enough is enough!

Well, Corky did partner squillion year old Cloris Leachman in DWTS. IIRC funnily enough they got voted off the week Len couldn't make it and was replace by Michael Flatley on the panel.

Maybe he's a bitter man!

How can a man who calls himself "Corky" expect to be taken seriously?

He's not a bitter man because of being voted off DWTS, he's disappointed how the things ended with Kristina. People pulled out of Strictly, but it was usually health or family problems, not that the contestant wasn't having fun anymore. And of course, Kristina would not be telling how she really feels, live on Strictly, she has enough reason for both of them.

Of course she's bitterly disappointed, but I really don't see that including any resentment towards John in anyway.

Wouldn't suprise me if 'Corky' gets one heck of a phone call from Kristina this morning...

secret boyfriend?

Before this run of SCD started I saw John being interviewed and he did say his wife was none to happy about him deciding to go on SCD. Since then he has said that they have been getting phone calls at home which have upset her, I think this explanation is probably nearer the mark, after all he is a political correspondent and no shrinking violet when giving as good as he gets.

I wish he hadn't left because I thought he was very entertaining, but hey ho, no one ever listens to me anyway.

Not so secret anymore!

Quite

It doesn't really ring true to me that Kristina would consider not coming back for the final. She has always been extremely professional, I can't see her backing out of that unless John didn't want to do it.

Also they spelt Lilia wrong!

Dump Corky Kristina and get with Brian!!

I am a) nosey and b) I have too much time on my hands!

http://picasaweb.google.com/umermeer...91068810752338

Never mind Cherie wearing well, just look at Kristina's mother.

Can any dance fans of a certain age remind me here? Corky ....... that name rang a bell. Then I remember we used to watch Sammy Stopford and ...was it Shirley? Married couple. Then she left Sammy for an American dancer, multi-millionaire Corky Ballard. Am I getting this wrong?

What the heck is wrong with her mother?

Only because they didn't know about him. I've seen messages on the ABC forum for DWTS where they've been referred to in the same sentence.

Absolutely nothing. My point being that she doesn't look anywhere near old enough to have a 31-year-old daughter and she looks years and years younger than Cherie. I just wish I looked as good as her.

You're right. Shirley left Sammy for Corky Ballas, they married - Mark Ballas on DWTS is their son. They've now split up and moved on to different partners - Corky and Kristina, no idea who Shirley is with now.

Unless they have recently split - Riccardo Cocchi. Brilliant competitive dancer.

I feel sorry for Kristina. She gave interviews with the Mail where she made a point of saying she wanted to keep her relationship private and now the Mirror have dug it up and splashed it over the front page.

This must all be a little much for her. She came over here to do a dancing show, not to hit the national news in a media storm and be harassed by paparrazi.

Thanks Puffle - I can remember going to a comp and seeing Sammy with a new partner - Barbara McColl, and saying to my husband, "Where's Shirley?" One of the other dancers told me what had happened. Seems like yesterday LOL

She did have her when she was quite young though- IIRC, when she was 20.