[Red Moon]

John Sergeant: 'Strictly judges are as out of touch as their courtroom counterparts'

On the dancefloor, he shambles and shuffles. But John Sergeant can be as sharp as a dancer's stiletto when riled.

The 64-year-old journalist has compared the judging panel on Strictly Come Dancing to criminal court judges who 'lose touch with the views of ordinary people'.

He hit back after a string of comments from the show's judges criticising his unlikely success at the expense of more talented contestants.

He likened them to judges who provoke public anger by handing out soft sentences to violent offenders - showing they have no idea of real-life views.

The Strictly judges are angry that millions of viewers continue to vote for the former BBC and ITN political correspondent, despite his poor performances on the programme.

But Sergeant has accused them of being out of touch with viewers and called on them to resign if they are unhappy with the rules.

He said: 'I'm a bit startled by all this because we are trying to do our best and if the audience like us, that can't be wrong under the rules of the show.

'The point here is whether the judges can keep to the spirit as well as the letter of the rules.

'It is funny how judges both in real life and on Strictly Come Dancing lose touch with the views of ordinary people.

'Here we have a classic example of this, as a political correspondent I know this. It is all quite familiar.

'Also as a political correspondent I know you have to work out the rules of the election and see who wins under the rules, not say "oh it would be nice if it was a different kind of election". That seems absurd.'

The broadcaster and his professional dance partner Kristina Rihanoff managed to avoid elimination on Sunday's show, despite scoring only 12 out of 40 for their Cha Cha Cha.

Judge Len Goodman said Sergeant's dancing made 'a nonsense of the show' and Arlene Phillips said that he was 'outstanding at dancing really badly'.

But it is the viewers who decide which couples face the weekly dance-off to decide who goes home.

Last weekend, singer Heather Small left the show after finding herself in the bottom two with former S-Club 7 star Rachel Stevens - but both women were scored far higher than Sergeant by the panel.

Judge Craig Revel Horwood even appeared on BBC Breakfast on Monday to voice his unhappiness.

'I think John should go,' he said. 'I still maintain that this is a dance competition. You need people that can dance.'

Speaking on the Strictly spin-off show It Takes Two, Sergeant said if Mr Revel Horwood could not accept the rules 'he should consider his position'.

Sergeant has survived eight shows so far and has built up a strong fan base.

A campaign on social networking site Facebook has even been set up to keep Sergeant in the competition.

One contributor said: 'I was disgusted by the ageist remarks of the judges and their attitude towards JS, and will now be making sure that I vote for JS from now on.'

But the BBC website was also flooded with messages from disgruntled fans who were angry that more skilled dancers were being voted out.

Source: Daily Mail