Minister weighs in on Sergeant's Strictly exit

Last Modified: 21 Nov 2008
Source: ITN

A cabinet minister has added his voice to the public outcry over John Sergeant's sudden exit from Strictly Come Dancing.

Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy said the judges should be the ones to go because they were taking the show too seriously.

Former ITN and BBC political correspondent Sergeant dramatically quit on Wednesday saying he feared there was a real danger he might win.

The 64-year-old received a mauling from judges for his clumsy footwork - but viewers' love for him kept him in the show - despite coming bottom of the score table three weeks in a row with dance partner Kristina Rihanoff.

Mr Murphy said he was the only person who freely admitted to being a worse dancer than Sergeant, who was nicknamed the Dancing Pig.

He said: "The fact is the judges don't know what this programme is all about.

"I watch the programme with my family."

He added that it was "family entertainment and good fun and John is emblematic of that, rather than taking himself so seriously".

"I think we need to get rid of the judges rather than John."

The BBC's website has been flooded with complaints about Sergeant's departure and comments on its "Have your say" section reached the 10,000 mark.

Other high profile fans who have waded in to the Sergeant saga include Tory leader David Cameron, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, TV personality Cilla Black and comedian Les Dennis.

Sergeant is due to board a P&O cruise to the Caribbean just days after his last dance, to entertain guests with speeches.

But he insisted yesterday his decision to quit Strictly Come Dancing was not connected to his work commitments on the ship.

These news feeds are provided by an independent third party and Channel 4 is not responsible or liable to you for the same.