General Chat

John Sergeant has pulled out of Strictly come Dancing.

Who thinks that he has done the right thing.

Norah

I certainly think he's done the right thing, for his own sake, the sake of the others dancers and for the sake of the programme - good on him I say - he is such a lovely entertaining man, but no dancer by any stretch of the imagination!!

Ann

I second what Ann GG has said, but I will be sad to see him go. Although we're rooting for Tom, we're keeping an eye on Austin. So jealous of him,Austin, he's got a red AGA in his kitchen, and I'm on a promise for one for next Easter, but in Green.
Julia in Derbyshire

Hi Gals and Guys.
Yes he's done the right thing! I loved him and his daft dancing at first--- then it just became very boring!
It is a dancing competition after all. I am hooked. crikey I must be getting old LOL
Tricia xx

oops no guys?!

Good on him I say.It would be a shame if he went on to get into the last 3 just because of the viewing puplic. He's a lovely man but no great dancer

But the 'viewing public' are the ones who pay the licence fee!

As it is a dancing competition I would say he has done the right thing. he can't control his public admirers so, as he knows the programme will suffer, and his fellow dancers, it is good that he has decided to retire. I am sure also that, despite the fact that he enjoyed the dancing, the strain of the publicity and of the remarks by the judges can't be pleasant at his age.

he is a nice man, a charming personality but no dancer.

ann
glos

I love him and he made the News yesterday. They also mentioned he has been offered a programme of his own. . Hope it will be a FUN programme. :))
Tricia xx

not watched....but read the uproar...
surely if the public have voted for him, then he should stay.....

does this mean if he walks...they give everyone their place back that got voted out instead of him?..
just my thoughts

Good point from cmd at 12.59.

BBC lunchtime news has just said he is giving interview at about 2.30 on News channel.

Margaret you are perfectly entitled to your opinion and I for one would never stop anyone from holding their own veiws. I do partly agree with you.

Joan I share your view too. It isn't a popularity contest.
It's a dancing competition and I just feel that if they had all not really bothered to learn to dance nobody would watch.If they had all stomped across the floor like John---disaster!

Were we though laughing at him or with him?

I understood none of them could dance and all were novices at the start. It has been amazing to watch the transformation of some of these "celebs". Especially Jodie who was referred to as being like a horse!
Tricia xx

We are told to vote for our favourite................

LOL GI YID
But they are all my favourite!

It is a dancing competition, so I think it should be judged by people that know what dancing is !!
He is a well liked person and I think that he has been judged on his personality, and not on his dancing skills..........
I feel for all the others that have been voted off the show.
I also think that the people that have voted every week for him should have their money back for the phone calls...................I think all these programmes that people have to ring in to vote for is a bit of a farce a money making racket !!!!

Well I can't say I'm surprised John wanted to go, when he was interviewed on Claudia's show he said " I haven't done anything wrong,i've practised like everyone else and amazed the public voted for me"!

It was also commented on that when Gabby Logan was voted out her husband Kenny was going to leave,but was told he couldn't as he was under contract..........so this smashing Saturday evening show might well have to come off if the rules are going to be changed for all and sundry.

I sincerely hope not as it's My Favourite ;O) lol...
.. I love it!

My family have no interest in ballroom dancing whatsoever and only watched this programme because of John (and Christine from The One Show). I think that if the viewers voted for John then their votes should be respected and if someone's nose is put out of joint - tough! That's life! I am very sad that he has been put in this position and feel the TV producers must make sure that this sort of thing doesn't happen again.

ps. I would love to see the prima donna judges dance at some stage just to see if they live up to their own comments!

I think he has done the right thing, lets face it he is not a dancer.
It's hard lines on the others who have been put out.
But then the public voted him in but not for his dancing skills thats for sure.

Marion

if he does go then it would be nice if Cherie Lunghi was allowed back - she should never have gone last week as she is a great dancer.

interview about to start on BBC News 24.

Maz. XX

The thing is, popular or not, it is a dance contest and the judges are all experienced dancers (or were when younger) and dance teachers. The idea is for us to see people who can't dance learn to dance and become expert at it. there are plenty of other programmes to entertain for people to watch and not many for those who enjoy ballroom dancing. For John to go on winning because people thought it funny to thwart the judges is against the whole idea of the programme. if they voted him in because they thought he was trying hard and they thought he deserved another go that would be different but they have actually admitted it was because they thought the judges deserved it.

The judges are only doing their jobs, the same as Simon Cowell and his group in X factor. can you imagine the uproar from youngsters if the public colluded to such an extent that Daniel got into the finals and their favourites were voted out?

The trouble is there is a faction of society who don't like to see officials do their job and because they do it is seen as being 'clever' or 'snobbish.'

Actually it would I admit have been better if the judges had refrained from becoming embroiled in a personal 'war' about John, that has only served to eg the public on.

Ann
glos

Trouble with all this is that it is indeed a 'public vote' show regardless of what the dancers were like and whatever the judges thoughts are, and lets be fair - before the phone numbers are put on screen viewers are invited 'to vote for your FAVOURITE' - never has it been said 'vote for who you think DANCED BEST. The public are only doing what they have been invited to do. If then the phone vote doesn't go the way the judges would like, well the Beeb have only themselves to blame. If they don't want a democratic public vote, restrict the voting to the judges only but then... what happens to the cash they lose from the phone-ins for charity. Unfortunately they can't have it all ways..... either they get their cash for charity and allow a public vote or they forego the phone-in income and let the judges decide..... which in all probability would take away the excitement etc. The Beeb need to sort this out quickly unless they want the viewing figures etc. to drop dramatically.