Click here to see Todd's hysterical stumble
First John Sergeant waltzed his way into the hearts of the nation on Strictly, now the British public is rooting for a new underdog. Former EastEnders and The Bill star Todd Carty is the early surprise hit of this year's Dancing On Ice after millions of viewers voted to keep him in after the third round, despite an extremely shaky performance which earned him only 9.5 points out of a possible 30 from judges.
The 45-year-old left the audience in stitches as they watched him lose control during his routine and skate off the rink completely. Pro partner Susie Lipanova was left to improvise until Todd regained his composure, re-entering - ironically - to the strains of their chosen music, Beatles anthem Help.
Odds on Todd winning the competition have now been slashed and his fellow competitors have nicknamed him "Sarge" due to the parallels between the actor and political journalist John Sergeant's popularity despite his lack of ability. The Ireland-born actor isn't perturbed by the comparison, though.
"John wasn't the best dancer… but I'm sure he tried his best, which is exactly what I'm going to do," he says, adding: "Susie is very patient and a wonderful skater. She looks like Tinkerbell on the ice. I'm sure I'm driving her absolutely bonkers and I seem to spend a lot of time apologising to her."
Photo: Rex
Photo: Rex
