The Liverpool comedian was emotional as he won the glitterball with Dianne Buswell
Strictly Come Dancing’s Chris McCausland was overcome with emotion as he was crowned this season’s winner. The Scouse comedian is the show’s first ever blind contestant and he has made history by winning the show.
The 47-year-old’s inspiring journey alongside Dianne Buswell has captured the hearts of the nation and his incredible efforts were rewarded when he won the glitterball. Chris was awarded 116 points overall for his three dances in Saturday’s final.
The comedian performed a Couple’s Choice to Instant Karma, a Showdance to Get What You Give by the New Radicals before ending his journey with an emotionally stirring Waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone. The final dance saw Chris receive his first perfect 40 score of the season as judge Anton Du Beke said it would leave everyone watching in his home city in tears.
He said: “I can imagine all of Liverpool sitting there in their living room crying.. Chris you said you wanted to change people’s attitudes, I think you’re going to change people’s lives.”
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Chris was overwhelmed with emotion during the episode as he spoke about Strictly’s incredible impact. He said: “I thought this show would be if you did well it would be entertaining and people would smile.
“I didn’t realise it could be emotional, I didn’t realise it could move people and connect with people like this. [You’ll Never Walk Alone] is an emotional song but it’s really hit me because it’s the last time I get to dance with this beautiful person (Dianne).”
Chris spoke to the ECHO in an exclusive interview during his incredible journey to the final and admitted he was unsure how his Strictly journey would pan out. He said: “When I came into it, I wanted to surprise people, surprise myself and do more than people would think is possible, but that was a pipedream.
“There was a chance that it could be a disaster. There was a very real possibility that I could have gone out in the first round. But it’s worked and that’s not just because of me. It’s worked because Dianne has been willing to take risks and been willing to put the hours in.
“We haven’t tried to pare it back or dumb it down. We’ve really tried to wow people and do impressive things. People have loved it and it’s all worked so far, but it’s surprised me as much as anyone else.”
However, it couldn’t have turned out more perfectly for the proud West Derby native, who told the ECHO he is always proud to “fly the flag for Liverpool”. He added: “You can take the lad out of Liverpool, but you can’t take the Liverpool out of the lad.”
Chris, who was born with a genetic condition called retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and lost his sight aged 22, hailed his West Derby upbringing for giving him the spirit to take chances in his career and confront his fears. He told the ECHO: “My sight was never perfect and it was deteriorating, but I could see. I was just in the street all day, there was no being wrapped in cotton wool.
“It was just get out there and do whatever anybody else was doing. Get in trouble running around West Derby. Climbing up the walls into gardens, playing football and getting up to no good. It was such a normal, risk-taking childhood.”
He added: “Back then you had independence in abundance. Because of that you also had interactions with everybody in the street, everybody in the neighbourhood. You knew them because your ball went in the garden. You knew them because you were knocking on their house asking if they wanted their car washing.
“You knew them because they’d tell you to p**s off down the road rather than kicking the ball against the wall. You knew everybody and they all had a sense of humour so you grew up just having a laugh.”
Chris, who now lives in Kingston in London, said this community spirit helped foster his own sense of humour, which has gone on to define his life and career. The comedian sees similarities with his story and the city that made him as he said how Liverpool has always been able to bounce back from setbacks to come out fighting and with a smile on its face.
He added: “With Liverpool, you can say it’s been through a lot in its recent history. But it’s always been brought together, in my lifetime, by music, football and comedy. That comedy and that sense of humour has always stuck with me.”
