BLIND Strictly semi-finalist Chris McCausland has revealed he rejected a BBC request to make a behind-the-scenes spin-off show closely examining how he had learned to dance.
The comedian, 47, also told how one reason why he eventually accepted the series after previously turning invites down was because he thought he could better represent the blind with humour rather than a “sob story”.
But he still initially thought he’d have so little chance of progressing to the latter stages that he was only going to move the first part of his stand-up tour which clashed with the dance series, and not the later dates.
Asked about the possibility of a more in-depth documentary on how he’d progressed with his moves, McCausland said: “Somebody’s asked from the BBC to come in and film and stuff, and like film half an hour and talk to us about this.
“I said ‘no’ to it because I think – it’s a bit of a naff word – but it kind of ruins the magic a little bit for people to see it on the telly.
“I’d rather people go ‘how the hell did they do that?’ rather than ‘That’s how they did it then’.”
McCausland was persuaded by friends to take part after always being terrified by the thought and rejecting previous attempts to sign him up.
He told fellow semi-finalist Pete Wicks on the Staying Relevant podcast: “I kind of acclimatised myself to the idea over a little bit of time.
“It was an opportunity. If it worked out it would be great for being able to be on the telly and represent in a way.
“I believe in representation but only if it works.
“A lot of people say ‘do you think it’s inspiring for blind people? Blind people aren’t watching Strictly – I didn’t watch Strictly.
“But I think it’s good for people from all walks of life to be seen by everybody else on the telly.
“It’s a privilege I suppose.
“I kind of knew that maybe if I do it, it’s not going to be all violins and sob stories. I can do it with a little bit of humour and stuff like that. So I knew I could represent well, the dancing aside.
“Going into episode one, show one, I was sh*tting myself.”
He said he did still turn Strictly bosses down again when the offer came in because it clashed with his tour dates, but his manager told him he could postpone the gigs – or at least the early ones.
Gorka Marquez joined Strictly Come Dancing as a professional dancer in 2016 when he was partnered with EastEnders actress Tameka Empson. The following year he was partnered with singer Alexandra Burke. They reached the final and finished as one of the runners-up.
In 2020, he was partnered with actress Maisie Smith. Again, he made it to the final and finished as a runner-up.
He failed to make it third time lucky in 2022, finishing runner-up again with Helen Skelton.
Nadiya Bychkova joined the show in 2017 with EastEnders actor Davood Ghadami. The pair reached Week 11, finishing in 6th place.
Her best performance to date came in 2021 when she finished fifth with Dan Walker.
Neil Jones has been without a celebrity partner more times than he’s had one since joining in 2016.
His best finish was with ex-footballer Alex Scott in 2019, finishing in fifth.
Katya Jones was another 2016 addition and made an instant impression with politician Ed Balls. Their Gangnam Style routine is still a favourite to this day.
In 2017 she lifted the Glitterball with Joe McFadden.
The following year she was at the heart of a show scandal after snogging her dance partner, the comedian Seann Walsh.
Karen Hauer has been an ever-present since 2012.
Despite her lengthy association with the show, she’s never lifted the Glitterball. The closest she came was in 2020 when she finished runner-up with Jamie Laing.
McCausland said: “When we were figuring out the tour dates and moving the tour dates, I was actually looking through and going ‘so these ones I definitely can’t do, these ones I could probably still do’.
“And then I made the decision ‘do you know what, just move them all’, because if I’m going to do this I’m going to need to put 100% into it.
“I had to move the tour to do this, so I actually said no to this year as well. The tour was my main excuse, ‘booked in, I can’t do it’.”
He said his success on Strictly has boosted sales for his tour but that wasn’t his reason for taking part – and it could have let to poorer ticket sales.
“This has allowed me to sell more tickets in some larger theatres, but the risk was that it would have been a car crash, and I would have sold less tickets than I was selling going into it. But we’ve done it, it’s worked out.
“But also the awareness it has created. I get messages from schools who are learning about blindness. I’ve had messages from charities who say that their Christmas raffle takings and charity donations have gone up a lot and the only thing they can put it down to is the awareness on Strictly this year.
“So it has been worth it on all fronts.”
McCausland added that it wasn’t just him who was terrified about him going on the show – his 11-year-old daughter was too.
Asked how she felt, he said: “Sh*tting herself, she’s 11 and I think she fed off my anxiety. There was no hiding it, she was terrified.
“And she was really, really nervous before those first few and now she’s a lot better with it. I think I’ve got confidence in it and she’s got confidence in it.”
The comedian is the favourite to win the 2024 series of Strictly Come Dancing, with partner Dianne Buswell.
Week-by-week there has been no real contender to him in the winner market with the comedian sitting at the top of the odds as each episode has gone by.
Despite being joint second-bottom of the leaderboard last weekend, they were put through by viewers.
McCausland will also star in a brand new Christmas film, Bad Tidings, alongside comedian, actor and presenter Lee Mack.
The story is set the week before Christmas and Stockport home security expert, Neil (played by Lee Mack) has a problem with his neighbour.
Scott (played by Chris McCausland) swaps their bins, complains about Neil’s ‘project’ car on his drive and has had his Christmas lights up all year, shining into Neil’s home office.
When they try to make Scott the new head of Neighbourhood Watch, Neil can stand it no more.
He questions Scott’s suitability for the role and, in the tit for tat row which ensues, Neil ends up blowing the power. For the whole street on Christmas Eve.
The cast of Bad Tidings also includes Sarah Alexander, Ben Crompton, Emily Coates, Josiah Eloi, Millie Kiss, Tupele Dorgu, Rich Keeble, Sunil Patel and Donna Preston.
Bad Tidings is available to stream on Sky and streaming service NOW this Christmas.
