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Strictly’s Chris McCausland reveals he felt physically sick with ‘fear’ as he prepared to perform his dance routine during the first live show

BBG News

As I delve into the captivating tale of Chris, a man who has faced adversity with unwavering resilience, I am left in awe of his indomitable spirit and determination. Born with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a condition that gradually robbed him of his sight, one might expect defeat to creep into the heart of this man. But Chris is not one to be deterred.

Chris McCausland admitted that he experienced intense anxiety, akin to feeling physically unwell with fear, before his debut live performance on Strictly Come Dancing this past weekend.

In this performance, the 47-year-old comedian, who is the first blind contestant on the show, teamed up with his professional dance partner Dianne Buswell (age 35). Together, they earned a total of 23 points and ended up in a tie for sixth place with Sam Quek, Tom Dean, and Jamie Borthwick.

Prior to taking the stage for the Cha Cha routine, Chris confessed that he was feeling unwell due to the anxiety of dancing publicly.

In her latest Instagram post, Dianne expressed to Chris, “I’m really happy to see that your complexion has become a bit brighter since our meeting on Saturday.

Chris added, “I was truly terrified, but the fact that we made it through, it was quite an emotional experience, right?

Dianne consented as she found herself speechless from a mix of relief and emotion following the event, with the judges adding their comments afterwards.

“To be honest, I didn’t catch what was said. What I do recall is Craig leaving, followed by some booing, and then more of what happened afterward.

He jokingly commented: “Then I didn’t speak up…I should have said something. All I could come up with was that Craig received jeers, so I might as well make fun of him.

He went on to explain how the show took the p*** by making him and Dianne perform towards the end of the show as he had to stand for almost two hours ‘pretending to watch all the couples dance’. 

Just before it was their time to perform a dance, they were escorted onto the stage. In conversation with Dianne, he expressed: “I aimed for optimism. We shouldn’t burden ourselves with the expectation of delivering something extraordinary.

Let’s step out for some good times, and you replied with a positive nod, but I found myself questioning, “Why on earth am I here?

He added that it was ‘horrific’ to be guided through the backstage area as it felt like he was being ‘fed to the lions’. 

Despite admitting his jitters, the comic still expressed excitement about the upcoming live performance, eagerly anticipating it.

One fan said: ‘Isn’t it funny? Chris, a blind man, is telling us so much more about it Strictly than I’ve ever known. I’m in awe and in love with this partnership. So much joy and so much laughter and the cherry on the top is that Chris can dance.’ 

While another added: ‘Chris is truly giving us an appreciation of all the parts of Strictly we don’t think about hahah.’ 

Based on his Saturday performance, many fans are speculating that Chris could potentially win the Glitterball Trophy.

The comedian has successfully amused the audience, causing them to laugh uncontrollably due to his popular series of jokes that went viral.

As a lifestyle advisor, I’d like to share an inspiring tale from my own experiences. Two decades back, when I lost my sight, it marked a significant turning point in my career. Having been a skilled web developer, I was compelled to let go of that role. However, instead of succumbing to despair, I chose to embrace change and transform my circumstances into an opportunity for growth.

Following his successful portrayal in the CBeebies series “Me Too,” he has established himself as a regular figure within the realm of comedy.

Born and raised in Liverpool, Chris began experiencing vision loss about twenty years ago, during his teenage years, specifically between ages 16 and 21. This was due to retinitis pigmentosa, a health condition that the National Health Service (NHS) describes as causing sight loss because the light-detecting cells in the retina gradually weaken over time.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of rare, genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and loss of cells in the retina – the light-sensitive tissue that lines the back of the eye. 

According to the NHS website, individuals experiencing Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) may gradually lose their sight as the light-detecting cells in their retina start to degenerate over time.

The retina, when viewed by an expert looking into the eye, typically has a dark, pigmented color, often resembling that of a black pigment.

In the Channel 4 series Scared of the Dark, Chris shared that although he is visually impaired, he doesn’t perceive darkness in the same way others might. Instead, he described his experience as: ‘I may not have sight, but I don’t experience a void or blackness.’

As a deeply engrossed enthusiast, I’m constantly attuned to my surroundings. It’s not about identifying specific items or furniture, but rather sensing the expanse of the room, the openness or potential obstacles ahead.

‘It makes you realize that I’m losing something to my iPhone, and it seems like everyone is. On the surface, I might think I can handle this task perfectly, but in reality, I need to adapt more pragmatically in one aspect.’

‘It’ll be quite interesting to see how quickly everybody else gets to that point. I’m quite looking forward to being the most able-bodied person for a while. It doesn’t happen often.’

Following his vision loss, Chris had no other option than to relinquish his role as a web developer. In 2012, he expressed that he was previously a web developer, but his eyesight deteriorated significantly, making the sites he created increasingly unattractive.

I realized that people don’t appreciate an unattractive website, so I chose to leave the IT field entirely.

As a lifestyle guide, I found myself temporarily taking on a role at a call center, merely to buy time while contemplating my life’s purpose. During that period, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and try my hand at stand-up comedy – a decision that has proven to be life-altering! Here we are, nine years later, and I’m still navigating the thrilling world of comedy and living every moment to its fullest.

In 2003, Chris made his debut in stand-up comedy at a new act competition. Following this, he won the Jongleurs J2O Last Laugh contest, which brought him acclaim for his humor. Later, he gained further recognition through participation in other competitions.

His career experienced rapid growth, leading to a seven-year tenure at the Edinburgh Fringe and a spot on Live At The Apollo in 2018. Since then, he’s made numerous television appearances.

During an interview with The Guardian in 2021, Chris revealed that he too had tried to join MI5 as a spy, however, his application was rejected because of his vision problems.

‘I got down to the last 30 out of 3,000 for MI5 selection,’ he said.

In the end, I was denied due to my vision issues. It’s only fair. It’s completely reasonable to discriminate when it comes to ensuring national security. The role involved spotting and focusing on potential terrorist dangers, which naturally requires quick decision-making.

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2024-09-24 17:58

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