Chris McCausland , who lost his sight at 22 due to a hereditary condition called retinitis pigmentosa , has made history as the first blind contestant on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing . The stand-up comedian, now 47, wowed viewers with his debut performance alongside professional dancer Dianne Buswell, 35, during the launch show, reports OK! Despite his impressive ability to dance without sight, Chris has been candid about his past struggles, including having "tantrums" over his blindness and struggling with self-acceptance. Previously, Chris hosted his own travel show, The Wonders of the World I Can't See, on Channel 4 , despite his admitted reluctance to travel.
He confessed that he finds little enjoyment in travelling, particularly when others can appreciate monuments visually while he relies on descriptions - "What's the point going all that way to stand in front of the thing that everyone is looking at, but that I can't see? " he once remarked. However, one particular Wonder, Niagara Falls, struck a chord with him during his travels for the show. In an interview with inews, he confessed that not being able to see it made him feel the "saddest".
Chris has candidly shared his journey towards self-acceptance in light of his blindness. He reflected: "Don't get me wrong. I'm much more accepting of who I am these days I've stopped having tantrums every time I spill drinks or bang my head on the door frame.
" However, he pragmatically noted that a partial solution to restore just .