Sergeant 'skips rehearsals to read'

7:57am Tuesday 18th November 2008

Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips unleashed a fresh attack on contestant John Sergeant, claiming that instead of rehearsing he "sits and reads the Guardian".

Veteran broadcaster Sergeant, 64, came bottom of the score table for the third week in a row with dance partner Kristina Rihanoff but the pair were again saved by the public vote.

Phillips, who has been a fierce critic of Sergeant's performances, told the BBC: "There is nothing that is correct about his performance.

"His posture's wrong, his feet are turned in, he hasn't got the rise and fall, his head's on one side.

"In terms of dance everything is wrong with it.

"When the performers and celebrities put hours in the studio they are constantly working. They do not sit down, and I know with John he sits and reads the Guardian.

"I think a lot of the time he and his partner spend fooling around.

"We've never had anyone this bad who has gone this far. It is a little bit disheartening when the public are voting for a non-dancing Mickey Rooney."

A string of groups have been set up on social networking website Facebook in support of Sergeant, who is as low as 16-1 with some bookmakers to win the competition, but Phillips, 64, told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "I personally would like to see him off the show. I would be desolate if he won."

Actress Cherie Lunghi became the ninth celebrity to leave the show, even as the judges praised her "breakthrough" performance.