Actress Cherie Lunghi become the ninth celebrity to leave Strictly Come Dancing last night, even as the judges praised her "breakthrough" performance.
Her partner James Jordan begged viewers to change the way they were voting after broadcaster John Sergeant sailed through to next week's show on a wave of public support, despite coming bottom of the score table. "This is supposed to be a dance contest," Jordan said. "Please, please, people at home vote for the dancing. I think Cherie had a lot more to show."
Lunghi and Jordan competed last night with presenter Lisa Snowdon and her partner Brendan Cole to stay on the programme. Casting the deciding vote, head judge Len Goodman said: "This is terrible. 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."
Lunghi's elimination mirrored Heather Small's last week, when the M People singer received the boot despite winning praise for her improved performance in the tango.
But Sergeant has defended his continuing presence on the show, telling the Daily Mail: "It is funny how judges both in real life and on Strictly Come Dancing lose touch with the views of ordinary people."
A string of fan groups have sprung up across Facebook in tribute to the political journalist's efforts, one dubbed: "We only vote for John Sergeant to annoy Craig (Revel Horwood, one of the judges)."
Following their first performances on Saturday night, Lunghi, Sergeant, presenter Lisa Snowdon and their partners were the three couples at the bottom of the score table.
Lunghi and her partner had won 32 points for their cha cha, with judge Arlene Phillips telling the actress: "I envy your legs like nobody's business."
Head judge Len Goodman said: "I loved it very much, but would like a little more wildness coming out of you."
But Bruno Tonioli was already convinced, saying: "What a pair of pins! I'm glad to say this a breakthrough, we've got more of a temptress now."
Even the hard-to-please Craig Revel Horwood told her she was "magnificent to watch".
In comparison, Sergeant and his partner Kristina Rihanoff scored just 25 for their American Smooth and received faint praise. Goodman told the journalist he was "amazing", but only in comparison to Terry Wogan waltzing on the BBC's Children In Need show.
Phillips admitted: "For the first time tonight, John, I really got what other people see in you. It was quite endearing."
When the judges scores' were combined with viewers' votes, it was Sergeant and his partner who avoided going head-to-head in the dance-off to stay on the show.
After the remaining couples performed once more, Revel Horwood and Phillips saved Snowdon, with Tonioli backing Lunghi, before Goodman cast the deciding vote to send the actress home.
Speaking after her elimination, she said: "It has been great, such a wonderful experience and great fun. It's been a huge learning curve and I wouldn't have missed it for the world."
