Strictly’s Chris McCausland says ‘fear was immense’ and it was 'terrifying'
Chris McCausland has shared that he is emotional about his Strictly Come Dancing journey coming to an end, describing it as the "most rewarding thing" he's ever done. The 47-year-old comedian, who has made history as the BBC show’s first blind contestant, alongside his dance partner Dianne Buswell, is one of the four couples competing for the glitterball trophy this Saturday.
Chris opened up about fears he and his 11-year-old daughter had when he decided to accept the offer to take part in Strictly. but now she's cheering him on to win. Reflecting on his experience, he confessed: "The fear was immense. I said no to this a few times because it was terrifying.
"I like a challenge, I like new things, I like being out of my comfort zone, but I need to know that I can do good and represent myself and represent other people well. There was a huge doubt about that."
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The comedian admitted that most weeks have been "terrifying", but through the process has discovered he is "a lot more resilient and determined" than he ever imagined. "It’s been exhausting, and it’s been the scariest thing I’ve ever done, but I think it’s certainly been the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done," he said.
"And it’s probably the thing that’s going to have the most lasting effect on me in terms of my outlook on the world and life and really the opportunities that I have." For the latest TV & Showbiz news, sign up to our newsletter
Chris, who lost his sight completely at the age of 22 due to retinitis pigmentosa, a hereditary eye disease which causes gradual degeneration of the retina, shared that his daughter was initially "nervous" for him, fearing he might fall and "embarrassed" himself. As the show has gone on, his daughter has been telling him how proud she is and now wants him to go on and win it.
He said: "She’d say every Saturday ‘It doesn’t matter Daddy if you go out because I think you’ve already won’. And then it was when we got to the semi-finals she said ‘Daddy, do you know when I said it doesn’t matter? I’ve changed my mind. I think you can win this thing’."
In the grand finale, Chris and Dianne will perform three dances, including a new show dance to You Get What You Give by New Radicals, as well as their emotional waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone by Gerry and the Pacemakers. They will also repeat their couple’s choice routine to Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) by John Lennon, which became a social media sensation after they performed in complete darkness.
In the routine, he covered Dianne's eyes as the room darkened, with the lights returning moments later to reveal him spinning around with the dancer on his shoulders as pyrotechnics lit up the background. The comedian said he is "grateful" to have been partnered with the Australian dancer on the show, adding that their shared sense of humour, communication style, and life perspective have worked together well.
The pair both admitted they were tearful during their final week of rehearsals as they faced the reality that their journey on the programme was coming to an end. "Our last dance is going to be our waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone. It’s an emotional song anyway and I just had this little thought of us ending the dance and that being the end of everything we’ve done, and it just gets me emotional," he shared.
Chris is among the bookmaker's top picks to win the 2024 series, which marks the show's 20th anniversary. The comedian admitted that prior to joining, Strictly had not been on his radar, with the first episode first time he had heard the show's theme tune.
But now he understands the appeal of the show:: "It’s some people’s football in a way, and I appreciate that now."
"I’ve really come to appreciate what it is and the reach it has and how it matters to people," he elaborated. "The support we’ve had and the support that everybody’s had and the interaction it gets from the people at home – how it matters to people, how it lifts their mood, how it helps people overcome their own issues."
Chris will compete against Love Island star Tasha Ghouri and her professional partner Aljaz Skorjanec, Miranda actress Sarah Hadland with Vito Coppola, and JLS's JB Gill with Lauren Oakley in the much-awaited finale.
Strictly Come Dancing: The Final is set to be broadcast live on Saturday December 14 at 6pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
