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Jealous Co-Stars "Froze Out" John Sergeant on Strictly Come Dancing

by Christina 123 | November 22, 2008 at 04:56 am

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POPULAR celebrity Strictly Come Dancing contestant John Sergeant was "loathed" by his fellow contestants, it has been revealed, because of his huge public backing. The viewers voted Sergeant back by telephone vote week after week as resentful co-stars were voted off. Things came to a head this week as wannabe Cherie Lunghi was voted off by the judges after coming in the bottom two of viewers' votes. Her co-partner, professional dancer, James Jordan, made some sour comments as he departed clearly aimed at John Sergeant - said to have "two left feet" - and the dressing room afterwards was "distinctly chilly towards John."

Driven out by the bullying and disparaging remarks of the judges about his age and popularity, John Sergeant, 64, a political correspondant once famously hand-bagged by then PM Margaret Thatcher, was left with no choice but to step down from the show rather than face increasing unpleasantness from his SCD colleagues on the show.

He performs one last time tonight.

John Sergeant quit Strictly Come Dancing after discovering that his co-stars "loathed" him, a report claims today.

The former political journalist decided to pull out of the BBC One ballroom competition earlier this week, claiming that the possibility of him winning the show was "a joke too far".

Sergeant and his dance partner Kristina Rihanoff were backed in the public vote every week, despite repeatedly receiving low marks from the judges.

An insider told the Daily Mail: "John knew he had to walk out before he was completely destroyed. He has put a brave face on it but he has been made aware of just how loathed he has become on the show.

"In public, everyone on Strictly makes out how much they love him, but in reality you are dealing with some very fragile egos. They are jealous of him because he has managed effortlessly to win over the public. Some people on the show can't forgive him for that."

Tension on the programme is said to have reached boiling point after Cherie Lunghi was voted off in a shock result last weekend.

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Angela Brooke-Ward (not verified)

at 08:34 on November 23rd, 2008

John Sergeant is a clever man and knew how to play the 'game' no doubt learnt from his role as a political correspondent and the public fell for it. He obviously did not originally expect to stay in the competion as he was booked for a cruise so had to resign when he did to prevent it looking too obvious. The programme is STRICTLY COME DANCING and so should be just that and it is therefore totally understandable that the judges professionals and celebrities and members of the public were frustrated week after week by someone who if fairly voted should have left at least by the second week. I am so glad he has gone we can now watch wonderful dancing, beautiful clothes, comedy from Bruce and it is now a proper competion between the remaining professionals and their partners who work so hard, good luck to them all. Angela