Chris McCausland is a heroic Strictly winner in a series struck by one controversy after another
Share:
The 20th anniversary run of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ has finally drawn to a close. Rachel McGrath looks back on an eventful series, from ‘hand-gate’ to Amy Dowden’s injury. There was one star everyone wanted to win Strictly Come Dancing. And on Saturday night, he did it. Chris McCausland, and his pro partner Dianne Buswell, took home the Glitterball trophy. The comedian’s victory is a moment that transcends the show itself and one that has given this controversial series of the BBC juggernaut a phenomenal, wholesome ending.
![[2024 ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ winners Dianne Buswell and Chris McCausland]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/14/21/14210622-21f80690-9888-4659-b8b2-11178fa9780f.jpg)
McCausland’s triumph, as a man lost his sight at the age of 22, is a milestone that should certainly be celebrated (and I have no doubt the Strictly Class of 2024 will make sure the bubbly is flowing well into the early hours). But behind the scenes, I bet there’ll be some sighs of relief that this series is over.
This season was marred in scandal before the fake tan had even been unpacked, when two professionals left amid abuse allegations in the spring. Giovanni Pernice stepped down from the show as a long-running investigation into his behaviour towards 2023 partner Amanda Abbington continued (the BBC has since upheld some of the 17 complaints against him, but cleared him of the most serious ones). Then Graziano di Prima followed Pernice out of the door, after admitting to kicking his 2023 partner Zara McDermott during training.
When the series began, Strictly stuck to its royal-style “don’t complain, don’t explain” PR strategy, and made no acknowledgment of the behind-the-scenes sagas. But there wasn’t long to go until further controversies hit the show (these too, would go largely unmentioned on the programme itself).
