THE world economy may be totally screwed, but when it comes to political hot potatoes, there’s only one debate raging in homes, schools, pubs and workplaces across the land: John Sergeant — should he stay or should he go?

The former TV news political editor has truly charmed the nation with his lovely big smiley face.

Who could have predicted when this series of Strictly Come Dancing began that John — a man who looks like a cross between Jo Brand and a garden gnome — would dance his way into our hearts with his complete absence of rhythm, self-deprecating humour, and old fashioned gentlemanly behaviour towards his hot Russian dance partner Kristina Rihanoff.

But while we all agreed that John was adorable at first, now we’re coming to week nine the tide is turning in some quarters.

Not least that of the judges who have made no secret of the fact they want him out.

Bruno Tonioli recently revealed he was “appalled” with the public voters who have supported John, saying, “I don’t understand it. It’s a dancing competition.”

Now I’m sorry Bruno, but it clearly isn’t. Strictly Come Dancing isn’t the world dancing championships, it’s not BBC Sport — it’s a light entertainment TV show for goodness sake.

If Strictly was a serious dance competition then surely they’d pick celebrities based on their dancing prowess to take part. Otherwise what’s the point? We’d be able to predict the winner of the show from the first night.

The judges want only the best dancers left in the competition, no matter how personality-less they are.

I mean Christine Bleakley for instance. OK, so she’s not a bad mover, but entertainment wise? I’d swap one John Sergeant for 10 of her.

Old people especially love John because he’s metaphorically sticking two fingers up at the world, saying: “I may be old and a bit thick around the middle, but I’m having a good time and I’m going nowhere."

And he’s a fighter, too.

Years of political reporting has left him with the hide of a rhino.

The judges’ nasty comments bounce of him like a raindrops bouncing off Bruno’s Botoxed forehead.

As John himself argued, what the judges fail to realise is that half of the marks are up to the public.

Lucky for John the British love nothing more than a loser, an underdog with a humour who doesn’t take themselves too seriously.

How else would you explain the existence of Eddie the Eagle Edwards?

And at the end of the day, anything that gets sour-puss Craig Revel Horwood’s knickers in a twist is going to be popular.