Leading article: Stepping down

Saturday nights will not be the same. John Sergeant has quit Strictly Come Dancing. Though his footwork was, to say the least, questionable, popular votes kept him in the competition while better dancers fell away. This led to anger from judges and competitors alike, for which Sergeant has paid a heavy price. The show is now left with a gap which must be filled immediately if the series is to keep momentum and maintain its competitive personality. A challenger must therefore be found to fill the former ITV political editor's left-footed shoes.

Peter Mandelson has been suggested by some commentators, who point out that he is "a fighter, not a quitter". However, we submit that the deputy Liberal Democrat leader, Vince Cable, would be a smarter choice. His ballroom skills are renowned and, should the judges turn against him in the way they did against Sergeant, he has already proved he is up with the best in the put-down stakes. Just ask Gordon Brown.