It has been a difficult year for Strictly Come Dancing. Just six months ago, questions were mounting about whether the show should be axed after a string of allegations of bullying during rehearsals, and there were fears controversy would hang over its 22nd season when it launched in September.
But as Chris McCausland lifted the glitterball trophy in Saturday night’s final, those fears appeared unfounded. Strong viewing figures and a overwhelmingly positive reaction to this year’s lineup suggest the show has regained its place at the heart of Saturday night family entertainment.
The 47-year-old Liverpudlian comedian was the show’s first blind contestant, and his humour, determination and warmth in his dancing style captured viewers’ hearts from the start of the season.
Alongside his professional dance partner, Dianne Buswell, McCausland regularly topped the public vote, if not the judge’s scoreboard, in what was seen as an incredibly competitive season – Claudia Winkleman said it was “the highest-scoring Strictly final ever”.
McCausland lost his sight completely in his early 20s due to retinitis pigmentosa, a hereditary eye disease that causes gradual degeneration of the retina. He talked of the challenges of competing in the show while unable to see himself in the mirror during rehearsals, or watch playbacks of his performances.
In a tearful victory speech, McCausland said: “This is for [Buswell] and it’s for everyone out there that got told they couldn’t do something or thought they couldn’t do something … and it just shows that with opportunity and support and determination, anything can happen.”
He was praised by Motsi Mabuse, one of the judges, for being “a role model for each and every one of us”, while her fellow judge Craig Revel Horwood described him as a “light that shines for all to see”.
Charities for people with visual impairments hailed his win as a huge moment that would leave “an immeasurable positive impact”.
The Royal National Institute of Blind People said it was “so proud” to watch McCausland lift the glitterball trophy and that, alongside his fellow contestant Tasha Ghouri, who has partial hearing, he had “left an immeasurable positive impact.”
“It highlights the importance of diversity and has sparked so many positive conversations. This is so needed to raise awareness of and dispel myths about living with a disability. We hope to see more of it,” the charity said.
Lucy Proctor, executive principal of the Royal National College for the Blind, which McCausland attended, said there was “a huge amount of support for Chris every single step of the way”.
“When he came out on the dancefloor that very first time and did Twist and Shout he just blew everyone away, and then we thought he’s already a winner,” she told the BBC.
“It’s huge. Representation always matters but, as Chris said, it’s not about being an inspiration for the visually impaired community … they are inspired by him but they already know they are capable of great things. It’s the wider public who need to take a bit of a step back sometimes and think why am I making these assumptions?”
Kerry Bevan, the head of skills, information and support at the sight-loss charity Guide Dogs UK, called it a “personal triumph, but also a landmark moment for everyone in the visually impaired community”.
McCausland was awarded 116 points in total for his three dances in Saturday’s final, which included a waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone, giving the couple their first perfect 40 score of the season.
He and Buswell also reprised their dance to Instant Karma by John Lennon, which included a “blackout moment” designed to imitate McCausland’s experience with blindness.
More than 8 million viewers watched this year’s final of Strictly Come Dancing live, with a peak audience of 9.6 million people.
Viewing figures were similar to last year, when the Coronation Street star Ellie Leach won the final with the Italian dancer Vito Coppola, receiving an average of 8.8 million viewers for the live show, with a peak audience of 9.7m.
After controversies earlier in the year, including the former contestant Amanda Abbington alleging she was subjected to “inappropriate, mean, nasty bullying” by her professional dance partner, Giovanni Pernice, producers have introduced new welfare measures, including chaperones in rehearsal rooms.