[Red Moon]

Strictly favourite John Sergeant achieves his highest score but is still bottom of the table

John Sergeant was last night fighting to stay in BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing after the judges yet again gave him the lowest score.

The 64-year-old journalist, who has been dubbed the ‘dancing pig’, won rapturous applause from the audience for his American smooth, performing two lifts to wild approval.

But before launching into the lifts, Sergeant, in tux and tails, had trotted backwards, dragging his glamorous partner Kristina Rihanoff along the floor as she did the splits.

Your footwork was not a total disaster,’ said judge Bruno Tonioli. ‘But why do you look like you are drowsy? If you are bored, we are bored.’

Sergeant has given a string of poor performances on Strictly but has survived in the competition thanks to his popularity with the public.

Another judge, Arlene Phillips, said last night: ‘For the first time, John, I really get what other people see in you. It was quite endearing. And you did get that Hollywood feel, although it was more Mickey Rooney than Fred Astaire.’

Last week, Sergeant accused the judges of being out of touch with viewers and called on them to resign if they were unhappy that he was still in the show.

Last night he scored 25 points from the judges – his best to date. The top score was 39 for singer Rachel Stevens and her partner Vincent Simone.

Source: Daily Mail