Comedian Chris McCausland confirms Strictly is ‘on the cards’
There have been rumours about the comedian doing the BBC ballroom show
Watch Chris McCausland confirms Strictly is 'on the cards'
What did you miss?
Comedian Chris McCausland has addressed rumours that he is going to be Strictly Come Dancing's first blind contestant, teasing that "it's on the cards".
There has been a lot of chatter about the star – who lost his sight 24 years ago aged 22 because of hereditary condition retinitis pigmentosa – taking part in this year’s series of the BBC ballroom show. Up until now he has played it down, jokingly batting off questions.
But he has now confirmed that he is weighing up a stint on the dancefloor, saying as he appeared on ITV's This Morning: "I'm thinking about it."
What, how and why?
McCausland was on the sofa on Thursday's instalment of the show to chat about his comedy career, but hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley could not resist quizzing him on whether he would be taking to the dancefloor this year.
Smiling, he replied: "Do you know what? Nothing is... it's on the cards, I'm thinking about it. It would be so fun."
"Do you know, it would be so far outside my comfort zone," McCausland admitted. "And I don't know if I'm logistically capable of doing it. You know, if it wasn't, it's live TV.
"Can I be taught to do something even when I can't even see what it is they are trying to teach me?"
Shephard and Deeley both assured the star that he would be able to do it, and he joked that he would take part in Strictly if they did it too. "You do it!" he laughed. "I will agree to it if you will agree to it!"
Chris McCausland talks Strictly
McCausland has previously joked that the BBC wouldn’t be able to afford the insurance if he did do the dance show, which featured deaf actor Rose Ayling-Ellis three years ago.
Speaking on The One Show earlier this month, he said: “Let’s be honest right, I don’t think the BBC could afford the insurance, could they?"
"I mean, me on the dance floor, I’d take out three cameras a week,” added McCausland, who was a contestant in the Channel 4 reality television series Scared Of The Dark last year,
In 2021, EastEnders actor Ayling-Ellis made history when she became the first deaf contestant on Strictly Come Dancing. She was paired up with Giovanni Pernice and the pair went on to win the series and lift the coveted Glitterball trophy.
