Chimp Dropped From 'Dancing With The Stars'

'Dancing With The Stars' dropped plans for a chimpanzee to judge this week's show.

Host Tom Bergeron had promised a "primate presence" on the Tuesday (06.10.09) edition of the celebrity dancing contest, but after pressure from animal rights group People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the segment was cut.

The chimp was due to sit alongside Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and a young girl who was the guest on the judging panel.

However, PETA sent a message to the programme's executive producer, Conrad Green, outlining their concerns about how great apes are separated from their mothers, beaten and shocked in training, along with a video narrated by Anjelica Huston about the misuse of primates in TV and film.

Conrad promptly said he would cut the chimp from the final show and never work with them again.

He wrote in an email: "If I had been aware of this information, I wouldn't have proceeded with the shoot in the first place.

"I do appreciate your point that showing a chimpanzee on our show may indirectly lead to other chimpanzees being ill-treated in the future."

"While I can't undo the fact that we did shoot with a chimpanzee I will be sure we don't do this again in the future."

In the show actress Debi Mazar was eliminated and politician Tom Delay was forced to retire from the competition due to injury. Currently top of the leader board is singer Mya.