IIt's been a difficult year for Strictly Come Dancing. Just six months ago, a series of allegations of bullying during rehearsals raised questions about whether the show should be canceled, and there were concerns that controversy would continue over season 22, which began in September.
But those fears proved to be unfounded when Chris McCausland lifted the Glitterball trophy in Saturday night's final. Strong viewership numbers and an overwhelmingly positive response to this year's lineup suggest the show has regained its place at the heart of Saturday night family entertainment.
The 47-year-old Liverpool-based comedian was the show's first blind contestant and captivated viewers from the start of the season with his humour, determination and warm dance style.
Alongside professional dance partner Diane Buswell, McCausland consistently topped the public vote, if not the judges' scoreboard, in a season that was seen as incredibly competitive. Claudia Winklemann said it was “the highest scoring Strictly final ever”.
McCasland lost her vision completely in her early 20s due to retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited eye disease that gradually degenerates the retina. He talked about the difficulty of competing on the show without being able to see himself in the mirror during rehearsals or watch playbacks of his performances.
In a tearful victory speech, McCasland said: [Buswell] And it's for everyone who's been told they can't do something, or thought they couldn't do something, and it shows that with opportunity, support, and determination, anything can happen. ”
One of the judges, Motsi Mabuse, hailed him as “a role model for each of us”, while fellow judge Craig Revel Horwood described him as “a light for all to see”.
Charities for visually impaired people hailed his victory as a major moment that will leave an “enormous positive impact”.
The Royal National Institute for the Visually Impaired said it was “so proud” to see McCausland lift the Glitterball trophy, and that he, along with fellow contestant Tasha Goury, who is hearing impaired, was “very proud” to see McCausland lift the Glitterball trophy. “He has left an immeasurable positive impact.”
“This highlights the importance of diversity and sparks so many positive conversations. This is so needed to raise awareness and dispel misconceptions about living with a disability.” We hope more will happen,” the charity said.
Lucy Proctor, director of the Royal National Institute for the Blind, where Ms McCausland attended, said: “Chris had tremendous support every step of the way.''
“When he first came out on the dance floor and did the Twist and Shout, he just wowed everyone and we thought he was already a winner,” she told the BBC. spoke.
“That's huge. Representation is always important, but like Chris said, it's not about inspiring the blind community… They're inspired by him, but they're I already know that can be great. Sometimes it's the broader public that needs to take a step back and think about why I'm making these assumptions.”
Kelly Bevan, head of skills, information and support at blindness charity Guide Dogs UK, said it was “both a personal victory and a landmark moment for everyone in the blind community”. said.
McCausland earned a total of 116 points in Saturday's final for three dances, including the waltz to “You'll Never Walk Alone,” giving the couple their first perfect score of the season of 40.
He and Buswell also reenacted the dance to John Lennon's Instant Karma, which included a “blackout moment” that mimicked McCausland's experience with blindness.
More than 8 million people watched this year's Strictly Come Dancing final live, with a peak audience of 9.6 million.
Viewer numbers were similar to last year, with Coronation Street star Ellie Leitch winning the final against Italian dancer Vito Coppola, and the live show averaged 8.8 million viewers, the highest viewership ever. The number was 9.7 million.
In the wake of controversy earlier this year, including former contestant Amanda Abbington's claim that she suffered “inappropriate, mean and insidious bullying” from her professional dance partner Giovanni Pernice, producers are demanding that the rehearsal room Introduced new welfare measures, including the ability to accompany employees.
