STRICTLY’S Chris McCausland melted millions of hearts when he waltzed to the Liverpool football anthem you’ll never walk alone, with his professional dance partner Dianne Buswell last night.
Brimming with emotion, Dianne told the visually impaired contestant that was proud of him, after they’d finished the dance and awaited the judges scores.
Chris is seen kissing Dianne’s hand as they rehease in a corner of the BBC studios[/caption]
The photos show their genuine bond and friendship away from the cameras[/caption]
Now as our exclusive pictures reveal, the strong bond they share is not just for the Saturday night show, as they are seen enjoying a tender moment backstage, before going on to perform.
Snapped in a corner of the Strictly studios in Elstree, Chris can be seen kissing Dianne’s hand, as they moved through some of the motions of their dance.
In another image Dianne is seen helping Chris tie the laces of his shoes, clearly capturing their true and genuine friendship.
Liverpool-born and bred, McCasuland, 47, who also supports the football team was first seen walking out alone onto the dance floor, before meeting Dianne, as the two came together for a stylish waltz.
After the dance Chris asked Dianne, “Did I do ok?” which seemed to warm the hearts of the fans and also actor Adam Woodyatt, best known for playing Ian Beale on EastEnders, who was crying in the audience.
The social media reaction to his dance was overwhelmingly supportive, proving that Chris is one of this year’s most popular contestants.
One fan said: making Ian Beale cry was not on my bingo card for Strictly this year that’s for sure!”
Meanwhile another person commented: “Just give Chris McCausland the glitterball trophy. Now not only is he inspirational, he’s incredible. Keep voting for him.”
And another Strictly viewer enthused: “Chris McCasuland has genuinely been the highlight of Striclty Come Dancing 2024 for me. Ive never watched the show weekly in the past, but now it’s a Saturday must watch. Keep Chris for as long as possible.”
The comedian lost his sight at 22 due to a hereditary condition called retinitis pigmentosa.
Married with a ten-year-old daughter, Chris has explained that he can still see light and space and always has an awareness if there is something in front of him.
But he also underscored that he didn’t want to, “bang viewers over the head with his blindness.” He said:
“It’s great that there’s people coming through who are able to represent disability while also having the experience to do the job properly. There’s no point fast-tracking performers on to TV before they’re ready.
“My attitude has always been to represent by not banging you over the head. I think the best way to represent a disability is to make people forget about it whenever possible. It’s always part of you.”
His performance in last night’s show suggests that Chris could be in the competition for some time, after landing a score of 35 from the judges who were also visibly moved by his performance.
If his popularity continues to soar with the viewers, he could make history as the first blind contestant to make the Strictly Come Dancing final.
Strictly 2024 pairings
Here’s who is matched with who this series…
Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell
Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas
JB Gill and Amy Dowden MBE
Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe
Nick Knowles and Luba Mushtuk
Paul Merson and Karen Hauer
Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystał
Punam Krishan and Gorka Márquez
Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec
Tom Dean MBE and Nadiya Bychkova
Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones
Sam Quek MBE and Nikita Kuzmin
Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola
Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu
Wynne Evans and Katya Jones
The pair were spending time chatting backstage before their performance and seemed be getting on well[/caption]
Dianne was then seen helping Chris to tie his shoe laces in a touching moment from backstage[/caption]
Now fans are calling for Chris to make the final as an inspiration to so many[/caption]
