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175,000 message the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing website to voice their anger at John Sergeant's departure
Last updated at 12:42pm on 21.11.08A BBC online messageboard for Strictly Come Dancing viewers has received a record number of hits — more than 175,000 — as the row over John Sergeant's departure intensifies.
Support: viewers unhappy that John Sergeant has gone have swamped a BBC forum
There were 175,634 posts today with titles including “Please complain to the BBC about the disgusting bullying” and “Boycott the show on Saturday”.
One member, “nursej”, wrote: “How disgusting that John was forced out of the show, this show is not a professional dancing competition, it is an entertainment show, but the judges and remaining contestants seem to have lost sight of this.”
Former political reporter Sergeant quit on Wednesday following criticism of his dancing from the judges on the show.
The messageboard anger came as BBC bosses gagged Strictly Come Dancing contestants from talking about Sergeant. Holby City star Tom Chambers, down to the final six on the hit show, said: “There's a lot of different views with the people in Strictly... I would love to say what we're all thinking, but we've been told by the BBC that we're not allowed to say anything.”
But that hasn't stopped almost everybody else wading into the row.
Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy is the latest to comment, calling for the show's judges to be sacked for taking Sergeant's dancing too seriously, which he called “good fun”.
Mr Murphy told the BBC's Question Time: “I think we need to get rid of the judges.”
After a goodbye performance on Saturday's show, 64-year-old Sergeant will leave to entertain guests on a P&O cruise ship.
* Viewing figures for The X Factor could rocket if John Sergeant's fans desert BBC1 for ITV.
Last week, 10.58m people tuned in to see pool cleaner Daniel Evans getting booted off The
X Factor, compared with 9.69m watching Strictly Come Dancing.
If angry Strictly fans are true to their word about boycotting the show, Simon Cowell's X Factor could surge ahead in the ratings battle when viewers switch over in protest.
But public interest in the Sergeant crisis should ensure bumper BBC ratings as he performs his final dance, a last waltz, on Saturday. The BBC has also pledged to refund the money of viewers who voted for Sergeant.
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Reader views (7)
tom should never have been in the final after last week, spoilt a good series.
- Jackie Ladums, maidstone kent
If John Sergeant was deemed so unsuitable for the competition why was he invited onto the programme in the first place? Perhaps the judges should consider this. And, perhaps there should be an entry "exam" to save any other celebrities the sort of mauling that John, Gary Rhodes and that lovely swimming chap all endured at the hands of the judges. Their comments often go past critique and into personal abuse, which is offensive to watch and is completely unprofessional/ The swimmer was abused for being too tall... yes, go and make yourself shorter immediately,Gary was abused for having a humped back... yes, run off and straighten before the next show, and John was abused for being too old to move fast ... rush off to the fountain of enternal youth and take a good swig! I like the judges, but this series they are taking themselves far too seriously.
- Sarah Fraser, Ashford, Kent
Could someone please explain to me why, if he quit on Wednesday, he took part in Saturday's show?
- Marianne, SW France
Though John Sergeant may be a very nice man , I do believe it's very coincidental that he decides to retire the week he should be doing the jive.
He knows he would struggle,despite his wonderful partner,I believe the votes were for her to stay in. I don't think he wanted to risk being in the dance off knowing the judges would vote him off.
I used to love dancing when I was physically able to and cringed at the sight of him walking round the floor and being so smug saying "well the the public will save me" I'm glad he's gone
- Sheila Tomlinson, manchester england
LEN GOODMAN its time you controlled your behaviour, you like to think your the superior judge, well perhaps some respect for your fellow judges would only be what is expected of you. IF YOU CHOOSE to take on all the travelling to America and back THEN keep your JET LAG temper to yourself. You do not set a good Example to the public and it is dispicable that we viewers have to tolerate it
- Lucy M, bury st edmunds, suffolk
This story is just not true. I've used those boards before and before last weekend and this week's stories, there were already over 150,000 posts on various subjects ... not just the John Seargant mess.
- Louise, Essex
There are things in this world worth getting angry about. Things that you can change, but not this.
- Alex C, London
