Comedian Chris McCausland has become the first blind contestant to win Strictly Come Dancing. The 47-year-old, who lifted the glitterball trophy with dance partner Dianne Buswell on Saturday night, said "anything can happen" with support and determination.
They beat Miranda actress Sarah Hadland, Love Island star Tasha Ghouri and JLS singer JB Gill. Speaking after his win, McCausland said: "This is for [Dianne] and it's for everyone out there that thought and got told they couldn't do something. "It just shows with opportunity and support and determination, anything can happen.".
He thanked Buswell, saying: "She deserves this so much. She's just honestly one of the easiest people to be funny with - and unless she changes her number, she's stuck with me.". Liverpool-born McCausland - who is registered blind - lost his sight completely by the age of 22 due to retinitis pigmentosa - a hereditary eye disease which causes gradual degeneration of the retina.
Calling his triumph "astonishing," he said: "I honestly thought I could go out in the first week or two, and I know no one went out in the first week, but I still thought I could". Actress Rose Ayling-Ellis became the first deaf contestant to win the show in 2021.
Disability charity Sense and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) praised McCausland's success, and for raising the profiles of people living with disabilities. Steven Morris, who is deafblind and the campaigns officer for the disability charity Sense, said the win shows people "can break down barriers many wrongly don't think are possible", and said it would "lead to many more disabled people being included in the biggest TV shows".
