I’m not a fan of Strictly and don’t really think it should have made the front page of every national newspaper today but I can’t help feeling rather sorry for poor John Sergeant and his heavy footed dance moves, writes Charlie Cashdan.

Ok, so he wasn’t exactly graceful and twinkled toed but he was at a distinct disadvantage right from the start of the show and it’s no surprise the viewers got behind him voting to keep him in each week.

How sad that the bullying comments of the judges have prompted him to quit the show despite the viewers obvious affection for him voting to keep him in over the ‘beautiful people’.

Perhaps people who voted for him were fed up with the hypocrisy of so-called amateurs competing against those with no experience at all.  How could poor John compete with Rachel Stevens and Heather Small who both danced for a living during their pop careers, Lisa Snowdon and Jodie Kidd who had to use their physicality and posture for their modelling careers, and the two sportsmen who had to use balance, agility and fitness for their sport?

In the circumstances, lovely old John did a great job (far better than I would) and though I don’t watch the show very often, the times I have seen him dance he exceeded my expectations.  Having seen on the news and read in the papers all the judges’ nasty comments about him I was expecting something far worse and actually thought he was quite good really.

Yes I know the show is supposed to be about the dancing, but then why not have contestants of fairly equal abilities to start with and judge them on who improves the most?  You can’t just judge the contestants on the basis of who is the best dancer because that’s not fair when some of them have professional dance and fitness experience from their careers.  If it was just about the dancing, why have celebrities at all?  Clearly because personalities, scandals and stories make the news and get viewers so that’s what it’s really all about.

I’m guessing that as John started the competition with no dancing experience whatsoever and also carries more weight than anyone else, he has surely learnt and improved the most and had the most obstacles to overcome.  Therefore, he deserved to go all the way in my opinion.

I am sick of seeing the beautiful, thin, athletic people always come out on top.  John had guts and personality; he was also the people’s choice so the judges should have backed off and let the public decide.

When I was at school, all the thin nubile little girls in my friendship group were into dancing.  They went to dance class every Saturday and took part in all the school dance galas.  I didn’t want to be left out so had to take part too but my body had sprung lumps and bumps before anyone else and I looked ridiculous in a leotard!  I had a big frontage which wobbled around like two melons on a rollercoaster, I had acne, a bad 80’s perm and a big frame to carry said frontage.

I had no rhythm at all, wasn’t into pop music and didn’t go to dance class on a Saturday preferring drama group instead, but still had to take part in the dance gala, the horrors of which will stay with me forever!

I could actually hear people laughing at the big ugly kid with two left feet and two air bags lolloping around trying to keep up with her smiley, glittery, thin and pretty cohorts.

Like John, I was so brave to even try.  I put loads of personality into my performance but would land up in the changing room in tears.  Bless.

So I was cheering for John and I’m just so glad the public got behind him.  What a shame he has left the competition.  I was rather hoping his inevitable victory would put to rest memories of my own dancing nightmares!