Comedian Chris McCausland has become the first blind contestant to win Strictly Come Dancing.
The 47-year-old, who lifted the glitterball trophy with dance partner Dianne Buswell on Saturday night, said “anything can happen” with support and determination.
They beat Miranda actress Sarah Hadland, Love Island star Tasha Ghouri and JLS singer JB Gill.
Speaking after his win, McCausland said: “This is for [Dianne] and it’s for everyone out there that thought and got told they couldn’t do something.
“It just shows with opportunity and support and determination, anything can happen.”
He thanked Buswell, saying: “She deserves this so much. She’s just honestly one of the easiest people to be funny with – and unless she changes her number, she’s stuck with me.”
Liverpool-born McCausland – who is registered blind – lost his sight completely by the age of 22 due to retinitis pigmentosa – a hereditary eye disease which causes gradual degeneration of the retina.
Calling his triumph “astonishing,” he said: “I honestly thought I could go out in the first week or two, and I know no one went out in the first week, but I still thought I could”.
Actress Rose Ayling-Ellis became the first deaf contestant to win the show in 2021.
Image: Pic: PA
Disability charity Sense and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) praised McCausland’s success, and for raising the profiles of people living with disabilities.
Steven Morris, who is deafblind and the campaigns officer for the disability charity Sense, said the win shows people “can break down barriers many wrongly don’t think are possible”, and said it would “lead to many more disabled people being included in the biggest TV shows”.
Debbie Miller, director of customer advice and support at RNIB, said both McCausland and the second deaf contestant Ghouri “left an immeasurable positive impact”, which has “sparked so many positive conversations”, and highlighted “the importance of diversity”.
Image: Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice lifted the Strictly glitterball in 2021. File pic: PA
Kerry Bevan, head of skills, information and support at sight-loss charity Guide Dogs UK, called it a “personal triumph, but also a landmark moment for everyone in the visually impaired community”.
Alison Kerry, head of communications at disability equality charity Scope, said the “impact of Strictly in breaking down barriers can’t be underestimated”.
She also said: “Thanks to Chris’s winning performance, perceptions will be challenged, and more people will be having conversations about the importance of disability inclusion and accessibility.”
Image: Pic: PA
It was the first win for Buswell, who has made the final twice before.
‘Blackout moments’ and a perfect score
After months of dancing, McCausland was praised for his three routines – which included the couple’s favourite dance, their final show dance and the routine most enjoyed by the judges.
McCausland was given his first perfect score of 40 points for a waltz routine to You’ll Never Walk Alone by Gerry and the Pacemakers, his final dance of the series.
His second routine featured different dance styles to You Get What You Give by New Radicals, and he also recreated his viral “blackout moment” for the first dance.
In the couple’s choice routine to Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) by John Lennon, McCausland placed his hands over Buswell’s eyes as the room faded to black, before the ballroom went completely dark and then the light came back on – with pyrotechnics flaring in the background.
A panel show favourite, McCausland regularly features on comedy quiz shows including Have I Got News For You, 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown, and QI.
He’s also hosted his own self-titled show on ITV1 on Saturday mornings, and appeared as an actor in EastEnders, Not Going Out, and CBeebies show Me Too!
Labour MP Dan Norris has been arrested on suspicion of rape and child sex offences.
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Dan Norris MP was immediately suspended by the Labour Party upon being informed of his arrest.
“We cannot comment further while the police investigation is ongoing.”
Police said a man in his 60s had been arrested on Friday on suspicion of sexual offences against a girl, rape, child abduction and misconduct in a public office.
Sky News has contacted Mr Norris for comment.
Mr Norris, 65, defeated Jacob Rees-Mogg to win the new seat of North East Somerset and Hanham in last year’s general election.
He has also lost the party whip in the House of Commons and has stepped down from his role as chair of the League Against Cruel Sports.
Avon and Somerset Police said in a statement: “In December 2024, we received a referral from another police force relating to alleged non-recent child sex offences having been committed against a girl.
“Most of the offences are alleged to have occurred in the 2000s, but we’re also investigating an alleged offence of rape from the 2020s.
“An investigation, led by officers within Operation Bluestone, our dedicated rape and serious sexual assault investigation team, remains ongoing and at an early stage.
“The victim is being supported and given access to any specialist help or support she needs.
“A man, aged in his 60s, was arrested on Friday (April 4) on suspicion of sexual offences against a girl (under the Sexual Offences Act 1956), rape (under the Sexual Offences Act 2003), child abduction and misconduct in a public office. He’s been released on conditional bail for enquiries to continue.
“This is an active and sensitive investigation, so we’d respectfully ask people not to speculate on the circumstances so our enquiries can continue unhindered.”
Mr Norris first entered Parliament when Tony Blair came to power in 1997 and served as the Wansdyke MP until 2010.
He was an assistant whip under Mr Blair and served as a junior minister under Gordon Brown.
Mr Norris has also been West of England mayor since 2021 but is due to step down ahead of May’s local elections.
A spokesman for the League Against Cruel Sports, a UK-based animal welfare charity which campaigns to end sports such as fox hunting and game bird shooting, confirmed he had stepped down from his role.
“The charity cannot comment further while an investigation is ongoing,” a statement said.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has said it will “pause” shipments to the US as the British car firm works to “address the new trading terms” of Donald Trump’s tariffs.
The US president has introduced a 25% levy on all foreign cars imported into the country, which came into force on Thursday.
JLR, one of the country’s biggest carmakers, exported about 38,000 cars to the US in the third quarter of 2024 – almost equal to the amount sold to the UK and the EU combined.
In a statement on Saturday, a spokesperson for the company behind the Jaguar, Land Rover and Range Rover brands said: “The USA is an important market for JLR’s luxury brands.
“As we work to address the new trading terms with our business partners, we are taking some short-term actions including a shipment pause in April, as we develop our mid- to longer-term plans.”
The company released a statement last week before Mr Trump announced a “baseline” 10% tariff on goods from around the world, which kicked in on Saturday morning, on what he called “liberation day”.
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JLR reassured customers its business was “resilient” and “accustomed to changing market conditions”.
“Our priorities now are delivering for our clients around the world and addressing these new US trading terms,” the firm said.
Trading across the world has been hit by Mr Trump’s tariff announcement at the White House on Wednesday.
All but one stock on the FTSE 100 fell on Friday – with Rolls-Royce, banks and miners among those to suffer the sharpest losses.
Cars are the top product exported from the UK to the US, with exports worth £8.3bn in the year to the end of September 2024, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.
For UK carmakers, the US is the second largest export market behind the European Union.
Industry groups have previously warned the tariffs will force firms to rethink where they trade, while a report by thinktank the Institute for Public Policy Research said more than 25,000 car manufacturing jobs in the UK could be at risk.
Two people have died following a fire at a caravan site near Skegness, Lincolnshire Police have said.
In a statement, officers said they were called at 3.53am on Saturday to a report of a blaze at Golden Beach Holiday Park in the village of Ingoldmells.
Fire and rescue crews attended the scene, and two people were found to have died.
They were reported to be a 10-year-old girl and a 48-year-old man.
The force said the victims’ next of kin have been informed and will be supported by specially trained officers.
Officers are trying to establish the exact cause of the blaze.
“We are at the very early stages of our investigation and as such we are keeping an open mind,” the force said.