Blind ambition7
If you’re thinking, how is he going to do that..? Rest assured I’m wondering exactly the same thing Comic Chris signs for Strictly
I must be the only contestant who hasn’t seen show CHRIS MCCAUSLAND
CHRIS Mccausland told how he is delving into the unknown after becoming the first blind contestant on Strictly Come Dancing.
The comedian along with JLS member JB Gill are the first two celeb contestants officially announced for this year’s BBC extravaganza.
Scouser Chris, 47, joked he was the only participant who has never seen the show, and said: “If anybody out there is thinking, ‘How the hell is he going to do that?’ then rest assured that I am thinking exactly the same thing.
“I don’t dance, I haven’t danced, I can’t dance, I can’t see the dancing I will have to do. What can possibly go wrong? OK, don’t answer that.
“I must be the only person doing the show without ever seeing it, for obvious reasons, because what’s the point in listening to people dance?
“So it’s a massive unknown. I like a challenge though, I like to put myself out of my comfort zone.
“It might be the best three weeks of my life. I’m not just being arrogant, I am blind.”
Chris lost his sight because of retinitis pigmentosa, a hereditary and degenerative eye disease.
He explained he cannot see shadows and will not be able to know where he is on the dancefloor, but said he “won’t know” if he can perform the routines until he tries.
His inclusion on the line-up has been welcomed by the Royal National Institute of Blind People. The charity also pointed out actress Rose Aylingellis,who is deaf, starred on Strictly with Giovanni Pernice in 2021, partially sighted
Ron Hall and deaf Tasha
Ghouri were on Love Island, and blind Paralympian Libby Clegg starred on Dancing On Ice.
It added: “It’s brilliant to see greater representation of people with disabilities on reality shows. The positive impact this can have is clear.”
Chris has hosted his own show on ITV on Saturday mornings, and also featured on panel shows such as Have I Got News For You.
Gill previously performed the jive with dancer Ola Jordan on the Strictly Christmas special in 2012. He said: “It was great fun.
“I feel like it was probably the most similar dance to things I have done in JLS, but I do feel like a lot of the styles, particularly ballroom, are alien to me. I’m not a trained dancer. It’s going to be a learning curve.
“I know people who’ve done the show. They said prepare yourself, the body’s going to hurt.”
It comes as the controversy surrounding the alleged treatment of celebs by pro dancers on the show rumbles on. Actress Amanda Abbington made claims against Pernice, which he denies. The BBC is investigating.
Pernice and fellow dancer Graziano Di Prima have quit the hit show.