Red Moon
20-11-2008, 06:19 AM
John Sergeant's last dance: Backlash against the BBC as the Dancing Pig trots off...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.
LORD MANDELSON: 'John Sergeant should not bow out. He has become the people's John Travolta. He should be a fighter, not a quitter.'
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.'
Sergeant, nicknamed the Dancing Pig, had received huge support from the voting public despite constant criticism from the judges who had placed him bottom of their score table for the last three weeks in a row.
Thanks to the public vote, he comfortably survived the first nine weeks of the series but it was, he said, time to walk away.
'The trouble is that there is now a real danger that I might win the competition,' said Sergeant, who called a press conference at the BBC's White City HQ flanked by his professional dancing partner Kristina Rihanoff and a number of senior BBC executives. 'Even for me that would be a joke too far.
CILLA BLACK: 'I think it is an absolute disgrace because it is a public show, it's supposed to be entertainment - so the judges judge on the dancing, but it's the public that pays for the license.'
'That is a frightening thought, a terrifying thought. I didn't want that to happen because it would have been a very bitter-sweet victory.'
He brushed aside suggestions that he was being pushed out by BBC bosses fearful that his repeated success at remaining in the competition was undermining the show and infuriating the judging panel.
'Anyone thinking that I can be leant on or bullied does not know me very well,' he said.
Sergeant will end his dancing career with a last waltz on Saturday's show, although he had originally planned a routine to Sophie Ellis Bextor's song Murder on the Dance Floor.
'It ended up with me firing imaginary bullets at the judges,' he said.
'The reason for leaving; well it is like when you leave a party. You leave before the fighting starts and I think that is what has happened on this occasion. If the joke wears thin, if people begin to take things very seriously and if people are getting so wound up that is very difficult to carry on the joke, then it is time to go.'
His glamorous partner Kristina said: 'I feel like the war is over.'
NICHOLAS OWEN: 'John you're still a cart-horse. A cart-horse is still a cart-horse.'
Some of the harshest judges' criticism had come from Arlene Phillips, who described Sergeant as a ' non-dancing Mickey Rooney' who instead of rehearsing, just 'sits and reads the Guardian'.
Yesterday she said: 'I'm always sad if a contestant leaves of choice, because you are always expecting the public to vote them in or out - but John is his own person and he has his own reasons for doing this.'
Asked if she felt responsible for his surprise departure, she replied: 'Not really, if you look back, we've actually been quite nice.'
GLORIA HUNNIFORD: 'John Sergeant is great entertainment and I like him very much, but I would imagine it's become a bit embarrassing for him. He's probably done the most honourable thing.'
Fellow judge Len Goodman said: 'I think it's sad. If it had been me I would have stayed in and had a good laugh about it. If I was at home I would vote for him. The British love the underdog but we also love fairness and justice. I don't think he would have made it through to the final.'
Craig Revel Horwood said: 'I was shocked to hear the news. I think it is very odd that someone enters a competition and then actually doesn't have the courage to go all the way with it.'
Show host Bruce Forsyth said he felt sad for Sergeant. 'He looks at other dancers and he knows they're better dancers than him and he must have felt, over the last few weeks, he must have been very guilty in a way.'
The BBC says that Cherie Lunghi - kicked off the show last weekend - will not be reinstated.
It is understood the competition will carry on as normal, with the final on December 20 featuring only two couples instead of the traditional three.
MICHAEL WINNER: 'He's the only man in the world who dances worse than me. He's given it enormous pizzazz and interest. The unusual is always more interesting than the usual.'
One Strictly source said last night: 'It is no secret that John's success on the show has infuriated the judges. They feel John's failure to be voted off makes the show farcical and them look foolish. It has been a real issue over the past two weeks.'
Another senior BBC insider said: 'I think it is fair to say that while everyone loves John this is our flagship entertainment show.
KATE GARRAWAY: 'I would never have quit because the public were spending their hard-earned cash to keep me in the show. I was duty bound to stay for their sake. But I understand why John felt he had to go.'
'It is important to keep the integrity of it otherwise in the long term it's going to cause problems.
'We had been considering ways to avoid this situation happening again in the future.'
One former member of the Strictly team said: 'The BBC have completely overreacted to the issue. This will blow up in their face because it will make them look mean-spirited.'
BBC TO REFUND VOTERS' CASH
The BBC faces a bill running into tens of thousands of pounds after it confirmed that it would refund viewers who voted for John Sergeant.
The corporation would not reveal how many called in, but insiders confirmed that they were expecting to fork out a hefty sum.
Phone charges to vote on the show are 15p from a BT landline or as much as 80p from a mobile.
BBC1 controller Jay Hunt said the broadcaster had every intention of reimbursing those viewers who felt let down.
A show insider said: 'If everyone that voted claims money back then certainly we are looking at tens of thousands of pounds.
'It seems there is a lot of public upset about John's decision - a lot of people wanted to see him go all the way.'
At this stage, the BBC is planning to reimburse only those who called last Saturday but it is understood that it is also considering whether to extend the refund to the entire series.
Source: Daily Mail (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1087662/John-Sergeants-dance-Backlash-BBC-Dancing-Pig-trots-.html)
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.
LORD MANDELSON: 'John Sergeant should not bow out. He has become the people's John Travolta. He should be a fighter, not a quitter.'
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.'
Sergeant, nicknamed the Dancing Pig, had received huge support from the voting public despite constant criticism from the judges who had placed him bottom of their score table for the last three weeks in a row.
Thanks to the public vote, he comfortably survived the first nine weeks of the series but it was, he said, time to walk away.
'The trouble is that there is now a real danger that I might win the competition,' said Sergeant, who called a press conference at the BBC's White City HQ flanked by his professional dancing partner Kristina Rihanoff and a number of senior BBC executives. 'Even for me that would be a joke too far.
CILLA BLACK: 'I think it is an absolute disgrace because it is a public show, it's supposed to be entertainment - so the judges judge on the dancing, but it's the public that pays for the license.'
'That is a frightening thought, a terrifying thought. I didn't want that to happen because it would have been a very bitter-sweet victory.'
He brushed aside suggestions that he was being pushed out by BBC bosses fearful that his repeated success at remaining in the competition was undermining the show and infuriating the judging panel.
'Anyone thinking that I can be leant on or bullied does not know me very well,' he said.
Sergeant will end his dancing career with a last waltz on Saturday's show, although he had originally planned a routine to Sophie Ellis Bextor's song Murder on the Dance Floor.
'It ended up with me firing imaginary bullets at the judges,' he said.
'The reason for leaving; well it is like when you leave a party. You leave before the fighting starts and I think that is what has happened on this occasion. If the joke wears thin, if people begin to take things very seriously and if people are getting so wound up that is very difficult to carry on the joke, then it is time to go.'
His glamorous partner Kristina said: 'I feel like the war is over.'
NICHOLAS OWEN: 'John you're still a cart-horse. A cart-horse is still a cart-horse.'
Some of the harshest judges' criticism had come from Arlene Phillips, who described Sergeant as a ' non-dancing Mickey Rooney' who instead of rehearsing, just 'sits and reads the Guardian'.
Yesterday she said: 'I'm always sad if a contestant leaves of choice, because you are always expecting the public to vote them in or out - but John is his own person and he has his own reasons for doing this.'
Asked if she felt responsible for his surprise departure, she replied: 'Not really, if you look back, we've actually been quite nice.'
GLORIA HUNNIFORD: 'John Sergeant is great entertainment and I like him very much, but I would imagine it's become a bit embarrassing for him. He's probably done the most honourable thing.'
Fellow judge Len Goodman said: 'I think it's sad. If it had been me I would have stayed in and had a good laugh about it. If I was at home I would vote for him. The British love the underdog but we also love fairness and justice. I don't think he would have made it through to the final.'
Craig Revel Horwood said: 'I was shocked to hear the news. I think it is very odd that someone enters a competition and then actually doesn't have the courage to go all the way with it.'
Show host Bruce Forsyth said he felt sad for Sergeant. 'He looks at other dancers and he knows they're better dancers than him and he must have felt, over the last few weeks, he must have been very guilty in a way.'
The BBC says that Cherie Lunghi - kicked off the show last weekend - will not be reinstated.
It is understood the competition will carry on as normal, with the final on December 20 featuring only two couples instead of the traditional three.
MICHAEL WINNER: 'He's the only man in the world who dances worse than me. He's given it enormous pizzazz and interest. The unusual is always more interesting than the usual.'
One Strictly source said last night: 'It is no secret that John's success on the show has infuriated the judges. They feel John's failure to be voted off makes the show farcical and them look foolish. It has been a real issue over the past two weeks.'
Another senior BBC insider said: 'I think it is fair to say that while everyone loves John this is our flagship entertainment show.
KATE GARRAWAY: 'I would never have quit because the public were spending their hard-earned cash to keep me in the show. I was duty bound to stay for their sake. But I understand why John felt he had to go.'
'It is important to keep the integrity of it otherwise in the long term it's going to cause problems.
'We had been considering ways to avoid this situation happening again in the future.'
One former member of the Strictly team said: 'The BBC have completely overreacted to the issue. This will blow up in their face because it will make them look mean-spirited.'
BBC TO REFUND VOTERS' CASH
The BBC faces a bill running into tens of thousands of pounds after it confirmed that it would refund viewers who voted for John Sergeant.
The corporation would not reveal how many called in, but insiders confirmed that they were expecting to fork out a hefty sum.
Phone charges to vote on the show are 15p from a BT landline or as much as 80p from a mobile.
BBC1 controller Jay Hunt said the broadcaster had every intention of reimbursing those viewers who felt let down.
A show insider said: 'If everyone that voted claims money back then certainly we are looking at tens of thousands of pounds.
'It seems there is a lot of public upset about John's decision - a lot of people wanted to see him go all the way.'
At this stage, the BBC is planning to reimburse only those who called last Saturday but it is understood that it is also considering whether to extend the refund to the entire series.
Source: Daily Mail (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1087662/John-Sergeants-dance-Backlash-BBC-Dancing-Pig-trots-.html)