For use in UK, Ireland or Benelux countries only BBC handout photo of Dianne Buswell and Chris McCausland, during their appearance on the live show of Saturday’s Strictly Come Dancing show on BBC1. Comedian Chris McCausland has become the first blind winner of Strictly Come Dancing. The BBC One dancing show saw McCausland and partner Dianne Buswell lift the glitterball trophy on Saturday following a public vote as the series celebrated 20 years on screen this year. Picture date: Saturday December 14, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SHOWBIZ Strictly. Photo credit should read: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: Not for use more than 21 days after issue. You may use this picture without charge only for the purpose of publicising or reporting on current BBC programming, personnel or other BBC output or activity within 21 days of issue. Any use after that time MUST be cleared through BBC Picture Publicity. Please credit the image to the BBC and any named photographer or independent programme maker, as described in the caption. (Image: PA)
champion was notably absent from his scheduled appearance on Capital Breakfast.
The 47 year old comedian, who recently clinched the Glitterball Trophy with his dance partner , was set to appear alongside fellow comedian Lee Mack but failed to make it due to traffic woes.
After a lengthy wait, radio presenters Jordan North and Sian Welby announced that he would not be able to join the interview. In a light-hearted response, Lee quipped: “It is possible his Strictly win has gone to his head and he feels he can do what he likes.”
Later on, during the chat, Lee expressed his joy over Chris’s victory in the 2024 series.
He shared: “I got very little time to talk to him on Saturday because everyone was hugging him and I haven’t spoke to him since! [It’s] Incredible. I was looking at the old texts this morning because he [Chris] was texting me at the time asking if he should do it. I’ve realised the preconceptions about his disability, especially him being blind, but the more time I have spent with him, there have genuinely been times where I have forgotten he is blind”, reports .
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Jordan North on Capital Breakfast (Image: Capital FM)
Chris opened up about his gruelling Strictly experience during an appearance on Lorraine, where Ranvir Singh was filling in as host. The star recounted the emotional and physical strain he underwent, admitting: “It’s been a really emotional Saturday night and I’m still feeling quite worn down by it. It’s been three and a half months; it’s relentless. It’s consuming – physically and mentally it takes a toll.”
The comedian didn’t shy away from highlighting the challenging nature of : “This is what the show does, it wears you down physically and mentally and then it pokes you with a stick until you cry in front of everybody.”
Despite the hardships, Chris maintained his humour while revealing that his prior commitments were shuffled due to the unforeseen length of his stint on the dance floor.
Chris appeared on Lorraine earlier this week (Image: ITV)
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“I started my tour in January this year and I did the first leg until May and I was meant to be back out in September. We moved the dates to accommodate Strictly, so we just moved them to January,” Chris joked, shedding light on the unexpected success he encountered on the show.
He revealed the logistical reshuffling required by his surprise performance: “We had to move these dates to accommodate Strictly and it just wasn’t a consideration at the time… I don’t think anybody thought I would be any good at it. I don’t think they thought it, I don’t think I thought it. And in terms of going on tour in January, I didn’t think I’d be going on tour on the back of Strictly. I thought I’d have about two months off.”
“It’s been a really emotional Saturday night and I’m still feeling quite worn down by it. It’s been three and a half months; it’s relentless. It’s consuming – physically and mentally it takes a toll.”
“This is what the show does, it wears you down physically and mentally and then it pokes you with a stick until you cry in front of everybody.”
“I started my tour in January this year and I did the first leg until May and I was meant to be back out in September. We moved the dates to accommodate Strictly, so we just moved them to January.”
“We had to move these dates to accommodate Strictly and it just wasn’t a consideration at the time… I don’t think anybody thought I would be any good at it. I don’t think they thought it, I don’t think I thought it. And in terms of going on tour in January, I didn’t think I’d be going on tour on the back of Strictly. I thought I’d have about two months off.”