John Sergeant’s wife is said to be glad that he left the show, as she was unprepared for the media attention his persistence created.

“After last Saturday’s show, it was clear John was in the show for the long haul. The public were taking to his hopeless dancing and there was a desire to see him continue,” a source told The Mirror.

“For Mary this was all too much and she urged John to reconsider his position. John going on the show was a great idea to begin with and the whole family thought it was a hoot.

“But as the weeks went on, and the media attention grew, Mary was becoming increasingly uneasy with the whole situation. She is a very private person and this was not what she expected.”