Comedian Chris McCauslandhas spoken frankly about his emotional journey on Strictly Come Dancing, revealing that the show stirred up a whirlwind of feelings in him that couldn't be faked.
Chris, 48, made history by not only participating in but also winning the 2024 edition of the popular dance show with partnerDianne Buswell, marking him as the first blind contestant to do so. Chris, who is registered blind, lost his sight due to retinitis pigmentosa in his twenties.
Since his triumphant stint on the show, he's returned to the world comedy and acting, while also sharing insights into his time on the beloved BBC programme as the latest series unfolds this autumn.
Adding another feather to his cap, he's written an autobiography, Keep Laughing, which delves into his life story, including his memorable Strictly experience.
In a chat with the Daily Mail's weekend magazine, Chris opened up about the impact the show had on him, making him more open to showing vulnerability.
He shared: "It didn't feel like it was fake to be emotional, it felt like it was fake not to be emotional. It changed me a lot in terms of vulnerability and showing that side of me. I've always suffered from perfectionism. But doing Strictly made me care less about things being perfect.
"We connected with people in a way I never expected, so Strictly enabled me to write the book. If I'd tried to write it three years ago, I'd have kept a lid on a lot of that."
Chris also shed light on the physical and psychological strain of performing week after week on the show. Speaking to The Times, he explained that despite the triumph and encouragement propelling him onwards, the experience became exhausting after 12 weeks.
He said: "By week 12 of Strictly, I was so depleted in every aspect of my being. I had no resilience left. It broke me down week by week.
"I can't think of anything else on TV that is that exposing, consuming, relentless, pressurised and under that much scrutiny. What me and Dianne were able to do together took us by surprise. It gave people something joyful to connect with on the show. It felt remarkable to be a part of it."
While Chris' stint on Strictly has motivated thousands of viewers across the nation, it has also galvanised the man himself, as he has since revealed he wouldn't have penned his memoir without the experience.
In addition to claiming the Strictly crown, Chris also won the Celebrity Role Model at the Scope Awards in May. Collecting the honour, Chris indicated his participation had demonstrated that disabled individuals were far more accomplished than many assume.
He said: "It really is an honour to get to represent those of us with a disability on some of the biggest shows on the telly, and to get to show everybody else out there that we really are capable of so much more than others might think so."
