Sophie Anderton quit Sky One's Cirque de Celebrite due to injury last night - with both public and celebrities taking an unsympathetic stance.

The model claims that her doctor advised withdrawal from the show after sustaining ligament damage, but the crowd nonetheless booed her out of the big top. Anderton's fellow contestants - unhappy at her string of excuses for previously missing training - were largely pleased with her exit.

A Sky One insider admitted that Anderton was unpopular with her fellow celebrity circus dwellers. Emma B said that if others had behaved like the 29-year-old then "there wouldn't be a show on a Sunday".

Hostess Ruby Wax also mocked Anderton's alleged hypochondria when she noticed her limping on Sunday, joking: "So, what happened? Has the kidney infection spread to your leg?"

At the beginning of the show eight weeks ago, Anderton initially impressed the judges with her circus skills, with Judge Philip Gandy telling her - "you were in the top three in the first week".

Former Grange Hill star Lee MacDonald - renowned for playing Zammo - has stepped in to replace Anderton.