Strictly's Dianne Buswell says 'it's really tough' in Chris McCausland admission
Strictly Come Dancing's Dianne Buswell has shared why the live tour has been "really tough". Dianne, 35, and comedian Chris McCausland were crowned the champions of the BBC show at the end of last year.
However, Chris, 47, has not been able to take part in the show's UK tour as it clashed with his own comedy shows this year, reports the Mirror. In her latest YouTube vlog, Dianne said how it has been "really tough" doing the tour without Chris.
She said: "Chris can't do [the tour]. It's actually been really tough for me to see everyone else with their partners and to know that Chris can't do it. It has been really tough.
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"However, I'm really excited to still be a part of it and very very grateful for that. So y'know I'm counting my lucky stars there. I've come home for the weekend and I've decided I'll start a new vlog, the final weekend before tour."
The tour opened earlier this week and although Dianne is among the professional dancers performing at the gigs, she doesn't have a celebrity partner for routines. Chris confirmed last year that he would not be joining her, with it revealed that the dates clashed with his Yonks! stand-up tour.
Addressing a fan who asked if he would be involved, he wrote in a post on X in December: "I'm afraid I will not be able to do the Strictly tour. My own tour was meant to be on the road in September and a lot of dates were moved to Jan and Feb to accommodate doing #Strictly." Chris added at the time: "It's unfortunate as it's been so much fun, but my own dates can't be moved for a second time."
Although he isn't part of the tour, several celebrities from the latest series of Strictly did sign up for it. Jamie Borthwick, Montell Douglas, Wynne Evans, Tasha Ghouri, JB Gill, Sarah Hadland and Shayne Ward are in the line-up.
The Strictly tour opened in Birmingham on Friday, ahead of scheduled dates at venues in cities such as Glasgow, Newcastle and Manchester. The tour is set to conclude with its final show in London next month on February 9.