Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas has shared her honest opinion on contestant Chris McCausland ahead of Saturday’s final.
The blind comedian has been the stand-out star of this year’s competition, wowing the judges and viewers with his dancing ability, despite his impediments, along with the help of his professional partner, Dianne Buswell.
The show’s first-ever blind dancer is now the favourite to lift the Glitter Ball trophy this weekend, where he will be up against remaining contestants JB Gill, Sarah Hadland and Tasha Ghouri.
Speaking on the latest episode of the Great Company with Jamie Laing podcast, Ballas was asked about her thoughts on this year’s finalists.
The 64-year-old dancer said: “You know, what I love about the final the most is that the judges don’t need to pick the winner, that the audience viewers at home pick the winner and I think they always get it right.
“But they do; they pick the winner that they’re all comfortable with, millions and millions and millions of votes. Of course, Chris McCausland has been outstanding, as has Pete [Wicks]. Raw beginners; these are your two raw beginners that have come in, you know.”
She added: “They’re unbelievable, but all of them, all of them from the very, very beginning, I felt, was one of the strongest casts we’ve ever had with Strictly Come Dancing.”
The Strictly judges have faced some backlash for their criticism of McCausland’s performances lately, while failing to dish out harsher words for more divisive contestants, like Pete Wicks.
After the semi-final show on 7 December, the 47-year-old comedian admitted he was an “emotional wreck” as his three close friends joined the Strictly audience to support him in his bid to reach the final with Buswell.
Chris also joked: “You know what you are doing is big when your really close mates don’t take the mickey out of you.”
Earlier in the show, professional dancer Dianne was also reduced to tears when she spoke of her pride at Chris’s achievements in the competition.
Buswell also revealed that she received countless messages telling her that she would not make it far in the competition after being paired with McCausland.
“I have taught Chris this whole time, without a single visual cue,” she began. “He’s never been able to watch a video back to see whether he’s done a great job, or to look at anything and think ‘Oh maybe I can improve on that.’
“He’s never been able to see any of his competitors or see what the competition is like. He’s had none of that, but he’s done so well because he’s captured the spirit of this show. I could not be prouder of him. He has shown that things are so possible.”
She concluded, “To be in the semi-final we have proven so many people wrong and that is a testament to Chris.”
