MPs launch parliamentary fight for Sergeant

MPs launch parliamentary fight for Sergeant

Thursday, 20, Nov 2008 12:59

MPs have tabled an early day motion to reinstate John Sergeant on Strictly Come Dancing.

The motion was tabled by Worthing MPs Tim Loughton and Peter Bottomley.

Signatories to the motion must agree with its statement that the house is "devastated" by circumstances surrounding Sergeant's exit.

The early day motion notes that a key part of the programme is the "meaningful vote" being exercised by viewers and that "to ignore the wishes of the voting public in this way undermines the whole point of voting".

And it calls on the BBC to reinstate Sergeant "on the show immediately and for the veteran political commentator, turned entertainingly dodgy dancer, to dust down his sequins, return to the dance floor and manfully face the music until the British public, or injury, decides otherwise."

Mr Sergeant, a former political journalist, left the show yesterday, saying he was concerned he may actually win it.

Mr Loughton said: "Like many millions of others, my family and I have been hugely entertained by John Sergeant's performances over the last nine Saturdays and I am not one who would otherwise tune into to see a professional dancing competition.

"If the public want more John Sergeant then more John Sergeant is what they should have, otherwise it makes a mockery of the whole system of voting."