Comedian and Strictly favourite Chris McCausland has opened up about the wave of support he received following his jaw-dropping couple’s choice routine.

Strictly’s Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell wowed viewers last week (Image: Instagram )

Strictly Come Dancing favourite Chris McCausland has opened up about his biggest fears surrounding his jaw-dropping blackout routine.

Last weekend on the BBC One dance competition, the funnyman and his professional dance partner Dianne Buswell wowed the judges with their impressive couple’s choice routine to Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) by John Lennon.

The dynamic duo’s routine featured a surprising blackout moment to simulate what life is like for the comic who is completely blind, which scored them an impressive 33 points out of a possible 40.

The dad-of-one, 47, suffers from a hereditary condition called retinitis pigmentosa which according to the National Eye Institute, sees cells in the retina break down over time.

Now, the TV star has spoken out about his groundbreaking routine in an interview with Rachel Burden on Monday morning (November 11).

The pair performed a stellar routine partially in total darkness (Image: BBC/Guy Levy)

Speaking to listeners on BBC Radio 5 Live, Chris admitted that the routine could have been a “disaster” when he threw the Australian beauty into a dramatic lift in total darkness.

He told listeners: “We did this couple’s choice at the weekend and part of the message was put yourself outside your comfort zone and so things that scare you because you never know. It may go better than you think.

“And it’s not just me doing it this series, Dianne’s also doing it. She’s taking risks and this could have been as much of a disaster for her as it could be a disaster for me.”

The stand up star went on to share the essential skills needed to perform such daring lifts with major vision impairment on the show.

He went on; “First of all, you need the confidence in each other and you need the trust in each other because a lot of these moves, they don’t work when you do them slowly, you need the momentum. 

He feared the daring routine could have been a “disaster” (Image: Instagram)

“So, she’s really got to put her personal safety in the hands of a blind man who’s never danced before. But when they work, they look impressive and they give that wow factor to what we’re doing.

“And we’ve been able to surprise audiences quite a lot with the dances that we’ve been done – and surprised ourselves. I didn’t know if this was something I was going to be able to do at all so it’s been wonderful to see how well the dances have been received.”

Touching on the memorable moment in the daring routine, he joked that he had it easier than former contestant Rose Ayling-Ellis who won a BAFTA for her showstopping couple’s choice routine with Giovanni Pernice back in 2021.

Touching on the memorable moment in the daring routine, he joked that he had it easier than former contestant Rose Ayling-Ellis who won a BAFTA for her showstopping couple’s choice routine with Giovanni Pernice back in 2021.

Chis chuckled: “The moment of darkness, there is a joke in there isn’t there. Well, Rose did it with the silence but if I do it in the dark no one can really see me dancing. But the idea was that it was a brief moment and it was to put the audience in the darkness.

“Not to put Dianne in the darkness, but to put the audience in the darkness and to surprise them at the other end with what had happened in between. And it was me getting her on my shoulders and spinning at the rate of a helicopter.”

Before Rachel wrapped up his enlightening interview, the comedian told fans that he is continuing to work hard to stay on the show even longer.

He gushed: ” It’s been fantastic and everybody’s enjoying it, but that’s why we’re putting so much effort in every week, because it’s a real joy, you know.”