BRENDAN COLE - STRICTLY JUDGES ANGRY AS SERGEANT STAYS AND LUNGHI LEAVES

STRICTLY JUDGES ANGRY AS SERGEANT STAYS AND LUNGHI LEAVES

The judging panel on Strictly Come Dancing have been left furious as Cherie Lunghi was voted off while fans' favourite John Sergeant remained.

While the political broadcaster again finished bottom of the score table, he progressed to the next round thanks to his popularity with viewers.

And like former M People singer Heather Small before here, Lunghi was eliminated despite having won praise for the judges for her "breakthrough" performance.

Lunghi and her partner James Jordan competed with presenter Lisa Snowdon and her partner Brendan Cole to stay on the programme after audiences gave their vote to other couples on the BBC1 talent show.

And though head judge Len Goodman said choosing between the couples was "terrible" he opted to save Snowdon and Cole.

"I feel as though I'm kicking someone off the show because neither should be going, but I have to base it on that last performance, and for me the couple that edged it were Lisa and Brendan," he explained.

Jordan pleaded with viewers to concentrate on the dancing in future editions, rather than voting for the most likeable contestant.

"This is supposed to be a dance contest," he added.

"Please, please, people at home vote for the dancing. I think Cherie had a lot more to show."

Lunghi was sanguine in defeat and said appearing on Strictly Come Dancing had been a "wonderful experience".

"It's been a huge learning curve and I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

Sergeant, meanwhile, revelled in his continuing presence on the show, telling the Daily Mail newspaper: "It is funny how judges both in real life and on Strictly Come Dancing lose touch with the views of ordinary people."