BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Chris McCausland shares heartbreaking reason he turned down show

Strictly Come Dancing star Chris McCausland admitted he could have appeared on the show a lot sooner than he has, but one specific reason had held him back

Fans of Strictly Come Dancing are loving Chris McCausland's efforts on the show - and his Saturday evening performance didn't disappoint.

However, prior to his impressive routine, the comic revealed he had previously turned down offers to take to the dance floor. In an emotional confession the 47-year-old revealed he felt scared to be involved. In an emotional VT, he said: "I was asked to do Strictly a few times but said no because I was scared." He then explained how he realised it was "selfish to say no" because he wanted to inspire others.

Chris and his professional partner Dianne Buswell performed their Couple’s Choice to Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) by John Lennon for the final dance of Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday. The pair had revealed they wanted to put a spotlight on Chris and how inspirational he is to viewers at home.

During his VT, Chris added: "You have got to do things haven’t you, if it’s something that’s scary what is the worst that can happen. I came into this thinking it could be a bit of a disaster. He went on to discuss his eyesight deteriorating steadily until his late teens to early 20s when he eventually most of his sight

“It wasn’t sad it was just the way it was," he confessed. "I was asked to do Strictly a few times and I said no cos I was scared of it to be honest. I realised for me to not do this is quite selfish as I am lucky enough to get myself to a position where I have, to get this opportunity to represent people.

"It’s not that people with disabilities need inspiring or need to see themselves on telly but everyone else does. There’s a lot of people out there who don’t get any exposure. We need to show people more is possible than you would think."

Chris became the first blind contestant to take part in the BBC talent show when he signed up for the 20th edition. With it, obviously comes its own difficulties to learning routines each week. However the CBeebies actor has stunned both fans and judges in the ballroom with his steely determination and use of his famed quick wit to deal with tricky situations, helped by the expertise and patience of Dianne.

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