To understand John Sergeant’s continued presence in Strictly Come Dancing and the subverting of the talent show rationale it brings, look no farther than the public fascination with Rick Astley. The sheer naffness of Astley’s 1987 single Never Gonna Give You Up has won him a legion of fans who have spawned the internet craze of “Rickrolling”, where surfers are conned into clicking on a link to videos of his hit.

The technique is credited with propelling Astley to the unlikely title of Best Act Ever at last week’s MTV Europe Music Awards. In Sergeant’s case, while the lithe bodies of the other competitors sashay across the studio’s shiny floor, his sexagenarian frame creaks. While they soar, he sags. He is the Eddie the Eagle of the dancefloor. The Strictly judges might hate it, but because of its understated humour, we love it.

Even if the judges rage against the him, the ratings-hungry BBC is doubtless happy. As Andrew Castle, the GMTV presenter who left the show in week seven, said: “There’s a horrible feeling when you go out that the nation wants to see John Sergeant dance more than you.

“But when I think about it, I’d probably prefer to see him dance too. This is a light entertainment show and John fits that bill entirely.”

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