Strictly’s Chris McCausland admits he ‘worried’ wife Patricia would have to ‘pick up a lot of slack’ when raising their daughter Sophie, 11, as he gives rare insight into fatherhood

Strictly's Chris McCausland admits he 'worried' wife Patricia would have to 'pick up a lot of slack' when raising their daughter Sophie, 11, as he gives rare insight into fatherhood

As a blind comedian myself, I can empathize with Chris Ramsey’s struggles on Strictly Come Dancing. The Samba-thon was undeniably unfair and discriminatory towards him, given his spatial awareness challenges. I remember my own debut on DWTS (Dancing with the Stars, American version), where they made me do a cha-cha with an inflatable flamingo in the room. It wasn’t easy, but I survived!


As a seasoned lifestyle advisor, I’ve had the privilege of sharing many personal stories, and today, I’m excited to delve into a heartfelt conversation with Chris McCausland, a beloved figure from Strictly Come Dancing. In an exceptionally open discussion, he sheds light on his unique journey into fatherhood.

The 47-year-old comedian who is blind chooses to maintain privacy in his personal life, choosing not to post pictures of his family, which includes his daughter Sophie, aged 11, with his wife Patricia, on social media.

Currently, Chris is sharing insights about how his vision impairment affected him in his role as a father and added stress to his spouse.

He recently shared with The Guardian that it’s only been within the past ten years or so that he feels at ease with himself and content being who he is.

Reflecting significantly on this, he added, “It seems to profoundly shift one’s perspective on life and self, especially after having a daughter.

In terms of how vision loss affects fatherhood, he expressed: ‘As a father, you can’t simply opt for other activities. I had significant concerns, and my wife takes on a considerable amount of the slack, dealing with most of the practical matters.’

Strictly's Chris McCausland admits he 'worried' wife Patricia would have to 'pick up a lot of slack' when raising their daughter Sophie, 11, as he gives rare insight into fatherhood

Strictly's Chris McCausland admits he 'worried' wife Patricia would have to 'pick up a lot of slack' when raising their daughter Sophie, 11, as he gives rare insight into fatherhood

Earlier, Chris admitted that the idea of having children made him feel ‘extremely anxious’ since he feared he might not be capable of doing things right and would only be a ‘partial father.’

During an interview with Gyles Brandreth, Chris shared his struggle, saying, “I found myself torn over this matter as I felt deeply that not having children would lead to regret, yet the idea of parenting filled me with fear.

I prefer focusing on skills where I can excel, and that’s why I chose not to become a web designer. While I might have taken up the role, my performance wouldn’t have reached its full potential due to lacking initial understanding or visibility into the work.

Limiting myself based on my vision impairment prevents me from engaging in numerous activities I once found pleasure in. Yet, even without perfect sight, blind individuals still participate in sports like football. Given that I can’t fully enjoy the game if I can’t play it well, I don’t wish to play football at all.

As an ardent admirer, I can’t help but share his words: “The thought of becoming a parent and the activities I might not be able to execute flawlessly was overwhelming. My father, the memories we shared of him taking me on adventures, exploring various places, and the hours he invested in helping me construct things – those are moments I yearn to recreate.

“He was troubled by thoughts like, ‘How can I do these things right? I might not be a complete or ideal dad.’

Interestingly, my desire for a daughter may have stemmed from this thought: having a girl would allow me to experience being a nurturing father. However, I also assumed that if we had a daughter, the traditional responsibilities associated with fatherhood might lean more towards Patricia due to societal expectations of gender roles.

“I wouldn’t feel comfortable bringing my child to certain places or events that some men might attend. However, being a father has been truly wonderful.

The day after, Chris was spotted for the first time since he advanced to the quarter finals of the show.

Strictly's Chris McCausland admits he 'worried' wife Patricia would have to 'pick up a lot of slack' when raising their daughter Sophie, 11, as he gives rare insight into fatherhood

He enjoyed a casual walk with his wife Patricia in West London before popping to a coffee shop together.

Chris, casually clad in a black zip-up sweater and a white sporty cap, was gently accompanied by Patricia, who affectionately linked arms with him.

Patricia echoed her husband’s relaxed attire, donning a brown sweater and loose-fitting jeans.

The star looked in good spirits as he enjoyed some downtime from rehearsals with dance partner Diane Buswell.

At some point, Chris was spotted standing by himself outside the coffee shop, while it seemed likely that Patricia went inside to get the drinks they ordered. During this time, Chris appeared to be occupied with his cellphone.

In 2012, Chris got married to his wife, a psychologist named Patricia, following a proposal made during a Pearl Jam concert at Hyde Park.

In 2005, is where their paths crossed, as actor Chris was showcasing his talent at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Meanwhile, Patricia was busy capturing the festival’s essence for a documentary she was making.

The couple live in a flat in Surbiton with 11-year-old daughter Sophie and pet dog Dora.

Recently, the star humorously mentioned that adding their new dog, Dora, to the family had been a source of discussion or debate between him and his wife.

During his latest interview on the Oh My Dog! podcast, Chris expressed his concern by saying, “I fear I may strike some listeners as an unusually unappealing guest among your many episodes.

Dora, let me clarify, the decision was made collectively as a family of three – myself, my spouse, and our daughter. We spent a lot of time deliberating on this matter.

At that moment, I strongly objected to the suggestion of acquiring a dog because of several factors. Given my profession as a comedian, I frequently travel extensively, leaving me seldom at home. I was aware that owning a pet would significantly limit my wife’s and daughter’s opportunities for social outings.

He proposed delaying expanding their family until there was more room in their household, but his idea was vetoed instead.

He mentioned: “It could be one of those situations where I’d be held responsible, despite the fact that it wasn’t my choice to acquire a dog.

Currently, our apartment lacks direct outdoor access, which has led me to suggest a delay in acquiring a pet. I exclaimed, “Perhaps we could wait until we move to a new place. Then, we might be able to consider getting a dog, one that suits our new home better.

Strictly's Chris McCausland admits he 'worried' wife Patricia would have to 'pick up a lot of slack' when raising their daughter Sophie, 11, as he gives rare insight into fatherhood

Chris and Dianne’s success on Saturday means they make it through to the quarter final.

In a recent elimination round, Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas found themselves up against Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe in a dance-off, ultimately being the ones to leave the competition.

Following the heated reactions from dedicated Strictly fans labeling the Samba-thon as discriminatory, unfair, and inappropriate, I couldn’t help but voice my opinion – here I am, an ardent fan, expressing my thoughts: I felt compelled to speak up after Chris’ recent public appearance.

On Saturday evening, the comedian stepped onto the dance floor for an intense, synchronized Samba competition that included all seven pairs simultaneously.

However, spectators believed that Chris faced an unbalanced situation as he lacks spatial awareness on the dance floor, even though the judges consistently urged the celebrities to move about during their performances.

Chris along with his dance companion, Dianne, were the initial pair to exit the ballroom.

Leaving the dance floor initially resulted in Chris and Dianne receiving just a single point from the judges, positioning them near the bottom of their rankings.

However, during their individual act within the episode’s program, they showcased a passionate pasodoble dance, which garnered them an impressive total of 32 points.

A fan on X commented: ‘I find it surprising that they decided to revive the Sambathon this year, given Chris can’t perceive other couples due to his visual impairment. It seems obvious to me that he’ll be the first one voted off, and I think it lacks good judgment.’

I regret to say that the Sambathon seemed unfair towards Chris. He was unable to see where the other participants were and struggled to perform many of the moves the other couples executed, as he needed to stay connected to Dianne. It appeared to lack fairness, given his situation.

If it were an event happening every year, that would be one expectation… but they decided to revive it! The decision was made, the selection process followed, and it was put into action! This time with a blind and highly favored participant! Crazy!!!

Strictly's Chris McCausland admits he 'worried' wife Patricia would have to 'pick up a lot of slack' when raising their daughter Sophie, 11, as he gives rare insight into fatherhood
Strictly's Chris McCausland admits he 'worried' wife Patricia would have to 'pick up a lot of slack' when raising their daughter Sophie, 11, as he gives rare insight into fatherhood

It seems I could’ve wagered on Chris finishing first, but it was unjust. His exuberant celebration over the single point felt like a subtle ‘take that’.

From Chris’ perspective, it was more of a jest rather than something serious. It seemed like he wasn’t troubled by it at all. Regardless, he’s confident enough to sail through. The real competition is for those scrambling for remaining spots.

As someone who values fairness, I found myself reflecting on my performance after viewers labeled the Samba-thon as discriminatory towards me. I shared my thoughts on Instagram.

He wrote: ‘I was really proud of our dance on Saturday, and as for the Sambathon….[zipped-mouth emoji] ….Well thank you so much for all of your votes.

You truly made a difference in helping us get through those challenging Latin lessons! Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow, Dianne Buswell. I’ll make sure to bring some earplugs with me❤️

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2024-11-26 15:56

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