"It would be nice to be asked," Mandelson told the BBC this morning. The business secretary said that he had been "cheering … with a degree of envy" for John Sergeant.
Mandelson even told an interviewer that on another occasion – "not this morning, because it's too serious but another day" – he would demonstrate his own dancing skills on television. Mmm. I'll believe that when I see it.
Mandelson is often seen as the shadowy figure behind unexpected election victories. And there's been some bewilderment as to how the flat-footed Sergeant is managing to survive so long on the programme. But I presume that this is one campaign that Mandelson isn't actually masterminding.
2.30pm Update: If Mandelson never makes it onto Strictly Come Dancing, he could always try another reality programme. In its poll for the Sunday Times yesterday YouGov included a question about which politician people would most like to see "getting humiliating treatment in the jungle" on I'm a Celebrity - Get me out of here. Mandelson came top, named by 20% of respondents. The others were: John Prescott (17%), Gordon Brown (15%), David Cameron (13%), George Osborne (4%), Alistair Darling (3%) and Nick Clegg (1%).
3.30pm Update: Things get more and more curious. At Coffee House James Forsyth is now wondering whether Mandelson will end up as a national treasure. "The thought first occurred to me at The Spectator Parliamentarian Awards where Mandelson reveled in playing up to his own reputation; if Alan Rickman was ever to tire of the role, Mandelson would be perfect for the part of Severus Snape in the Harry Potter movies," he writes.
