Strictly Come Dancing 2024 has been won by Chris McCausland and his partner Dianne Buswell,
The pair were vying against Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola, Tasha Ghouri dancing with Aljaž Škorjanec and JB Gill and his pro partner Lauren Oakley in Saturday night’s grand final.
McCausland was a firm favourite to win, and is now the first blind contestant to become a Strictly champion.
The comedian’s first two dances of the night had an emotional impact, as judges Motsi Mabuse and Shirley Ballas were left in tears.
And his third caused even more sobbing. McCausland and Buswell were both in tears at the end of their routine — a performance of their Waltz to “You Never Walk Alone.” Buswell’s parents in the audience were also crying, along with the panel and seemingly everyone in the Clauditorium.
Prior to the live final, McCausland is reported to have faced a last-minute change of plan as his parents couldn’t travel to Hertfordshire to support him due to illness.
His mother Valerie had caught the flu, and was unable to travel from their home in Liverpool to the Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, where the live final took place. McCausland’s father, John, told The Daily Mail he would be remaining at home to look after her.
Ahead of the final, McCausland’s dance partner Buswell broke down in tears when she was shown a clip of McCausland’s dancing journey on It Takes Two, and she praised him for being “the most honest man I’ve ever met”.
In tonight’s final, the couples danced three numbers each: a judge’s pick, a show dance and the couple’s favourite dance from the series.
Comment: Chris McCausland is a heroic Strictly winner in a series struck by one controversy after another
Here’s what Strictly expert Rachel McGrath makes of the 2024 series…
Ellie Muir15 December 2024 07:02
What you may have missed: A cameo from Gavin & Stacey’s Nessa
Actor Ruth Jones made an appearance as her Gavin & Stacey character Nessa Jenkins, as she read out Strictly’s terms and conditions during Saturday night’s live show.
In true Nessa style, she firmly ordered Claudia Winkleman and the rest of the cast to be quiet and approved of the “tidy” network charges.
Ellie Muir15 December 2024 06:00
Amy Dowden delighted fans when she made a cameo appearance in the show’s opening number
Amy Dowden should have been competing in Saturday night’s final, if it had not been for a shin fracture she sustained mid-competition.
Finalist JB Gill was formerly partnered with Dowden until she was forced to pull out of the competition after sustaining a stress fracture in her shin. She was advised by doctors to take several weeks off to recover, and therefore she was replaced by pro Oakley.
However, she surprised fans by making a small appearance in the final’s opening number.
Ellie Muir15 December 2024 03:00
There was only one winner – but Anton made his thoughts clear
During Saturday night’s final, Anton Du Beke named Tasha Ghouri as the best dancer to ever compete in the show’s history. What an achievement.
While she may not have taken home the glitterball trophy – surely that’s the next best thing?
Read the full story below:
Ellie Muir15 December 2024 01:02
In pictures: Chris’s best moments from tonight’s final
Take a look back at Chris’s best moments before he was announced as the winner in tonight’s final.
Ellie Muir14 December 2024 23:30
This picture perfect encapsulates all of the emotions from tonight
Tonight’s final was nothing but tear-jerking. This moment captured in the Clauditorium after Chris’s performance sums it all up. Not a dry eye in the house.
Ellie Muir14 December 2024 23:00
A look back at tonight’s final….
During tonight’s final, Vito Coppola suffered awkward an wardrobe malfunction while performing alongside Sarah Hadland.
When the dance finished, Coppola and Hadland broke into laughter as host Tess Daly acknowledged that the professional dancer had experienced a “wardrobe issue”.
Ellie Muir14 December 2024 22:30
Sight-loss charity praises Chris showing ‘there are no barriers for creativity and determination’
Chris McCausland has been receiving huge praise for becoming the show’s first blind contestant and winner.
Kerry Bevan, who is Head of Skills at the UK’s leading sight-loss charity, Guide Dogs UK, said in a statement: “Chris McCausland’s victory on Strictly Come Dancing is not only a personal triumph, but also a landmark moment for everyone in the visually impaired community.”
Bevan continued: “There are no barriers to creativity and determination, nor to success on the dancefloor, and Chris’s crowning moment of his journey to the summit proves this.
“Chris has given the public an insight into what it means to have a vision impairment and how people with sight loss can dream big and pursue their ambitions fearlessly.
“Chris and Dianne are worthy winners and it’s even more poignant that this milestone occurred during Strictly’s 20th anniversary series. Dianne has been a shining example of how we can all take steps to make the world a more inclusive and accessible place.”
Ellie Muir14 December 2024 22:00
