Chris McCausland, who has been crowned Strictly Come Dancing 2024 winner with Dianne Buswell, is a father to 11-year-old Sophie – but the idea of becoming a father ‘terrified’ him
Chris McCausland was in two minds when it came to the possibility of fatherhood.
The comedian, 47, who became Strictly Come Dancing’s first-ever blind winner of the BBC competition, no doubt made his daughter and wife proud last night. He wowed audiences and judges alike each week with impressive moves on the dancefloor alongside professional partner Dianne Buswell.
When their names were declared winners, the emotional pair looked shocked with disbelief at their victory as they hugged each other tightly. When host Tess Daly asked how he was feeling, the dad-of-one responded: “It’s astonishing, I don’t know what to say. I thought I would go out in the first week or two.” Referring to partner Dianne, he added: “We have lasted and lasted and she has got so much out of me, she deserves this so much.”
Chris lost his sight 20 years ago between the ages of 16 and 22 years old due to retinitis pigmentosa, which he described as a “scary and embarrassing” time. “I found myself in difficult situations because I was reluctant to ask for help,” he explained, speaking of his eyesight deteriorating at university, where he was studying to pursue a career in web development.
Luckily, Chris was also talented at stand-up comedy too, with his gigs leading to a TV role playing Rudi in CBeebies’ Me Too! and appearances on Have I Got News For You. The comedian is married to wife Patricia, who he shares daughter Sophie, 11.
But the possibility of becoming a parent “terrified” him. “I was in such a dilemma about it because I knew I would regret not having kids but the thought of having kids terrified me,” he told Gyles Brandreth in an interview.
“The idea of being a parent and all of the things I was going to be unable to do properly. “My dad, all the things he used to do with me as a kid, taking me to different places, and the time he put in helping me build things. You go “how am I going to be able to do those things – I’m not going to be a proper dad, I’m going to be a half dad’.”
Thankfully, Chris and Patricia, who hails from Brazil, took the plunge and he says being a dad is “amazing”. The couple spilt the beans on their marriage during an episode of David Mitchell’s Outsiders, which featured fellow comic Alan Davies, last year.
“On a scale of 1 to 10, how happy are you in your relationship?” Alan asked, prompting Patricia to reply: “I’ll go for a good, solid nine and a half. Chris feigned shock at this score before insisting his score was the same as his wife’s to keep the peace.
Patricia looked furious, and Alan struggled to contain his laughter as he asked the couple: “Do you fight often?”
