Yahoo News Strictly Come Dancing Chris McCausland admits fears of 'disaster' on BBC show
Fan favourite Chris McCausland has revealed he feared his stint on Strictly Come Dancing would be "a disaster".
The blind contestant - the show's first - has wowed viewers with his performances alongside professional dance partner Dianne Buswell.
Chris, who was born with a genetic condition called retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and lost his sight aged 22, told the ECHO he feared he could have left Strictly in the first round.
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He said: "There was a chance that it could be a disaster. There was a very real possibility that I could have gone out in the first round. But it's worked and that's not just because of me. It's worked because Dianne has been willing to take risks and been willing to put the hours in.
"We haven't tried to pare it back or dumb it down. We've really tried to wow people and do impressive things. People have loved it and it's all worked so far, but it's surprised me as much as anyone else."
Chris puts down his fearless approach to his upbringing, which afforded him the independence he needed to make mistakes and learn from them.
He told the ECHO: "My sight was never perfect and it was deteriorating, but I could see. I was just in the street all day, there was no being wrapped in cotton wool.
"It was just get out there and do whatever anybody else was doing. Get in trouble running around West Derby. Climbing up the walls into gardens, playing football and getting up to no good. It was such a normal, risk-taking childhood."
He added: "Back then you had independence in abundance. Because of that you also had interactions with everybody in the street, everybody in the neighbourhood. You knew them because your ball went in the garden. You knew them because you were knocking on their house asking if they wanted their car washing.
"You knew them because they'd tell you to p**s off down the road rather than kicking the ball against the wall. You knew everybody and they all had a sense of humour so you grew up just having a laugh."
Chris said this community spirit helped foster his own sense of humour, which has gone on to define his life and career.
The comedian sees similarities with his story and the city that made him as he said how Liverpool has always been able to bounce back from setbacks to come out fighting and with a smile on its face.
He added: "With Liverpool, you can say it's been through a lot in its recent history. But it's always been brought together, in my lifetime, by music, football and comedy. That comedy and that sense of humour has always stuck with me."
Chris moved to Kingston in London to study Software Engineering and is still based in the capital where he lives with his wife, Patricia, and daughter, Sophie. However, he remains deeply connected to Merseyside and said he wants to fly the flag for Liverpool whenever he can. He said: "You can take the lad out of Liverpool, but you can't take the Liverpool out of the lad."
