Strictly winners crowned in glitzy live final
This article reveals the outcome of the Strictly final.
Comedian Chris McCausland, Strictly Come Dancing’s first blind contestant, has been crowned this year’s winner.
The 47-year-old beat JLS singer JB Gill, actress Sarah Hadland and former Love Islander Tasha Ghouri to lift the glitterball trophy in Saturday’s live final on BBC One.
McCausland, who was the bookmakers’ favourite to win, performed three dances with partner Dianne Buswell.
He said his win was for her, “and for everyone out there who’s got told they couldn’t do something or thought they couldn’t do it”.
“It just shows with opportunity and support and determination, anything can happen,” he added.
As usual, one of the dances in the grand finale was chosen by the judges, one was their own favourite dance from the series, and the other was a show dance.
The judges gave advisory scores but the public made the final decision.
McCausland and Buswell performed routines including their waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone by Gerry and the Pacemakers in the grand final.
The pair also reprised their couple’s choice routine to Instant Karma by John Lennon.
When they first performed it last month, it went viral on social media thanks to a “blackout moment”, designed to imitate McCausland’s experience with blindness.
They repeated the moment in the grand final, impressing the judges and getting them a score of 38.
“Chris, I am a mess because of you, and I said I would not cry in this final,” said judge Motsi Mabuse, as she wiped away tears.
McCausland was registered blind after gradually losing his sight to retinitis pigmentosa in his 20s and 30s.
The winning duo faced stiff competition from the other remaining couples – JB Gill and Lauren Oakley, Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec, and Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola.
Gill and Oakley were first to take to the dance floor.
The pair performed routines including a Show Dance to a Motown Medley and a Viennese Waltz to Let’s Go Fly A Kite from Mary Poppins.
The latter received the first top marks of the night, with straight 10s awarded by the judges.
It came after the singer’s original dance partner, Amy Dowden, was forced to pull out of the series last month due to a foot injury.
Next up, it was time for Ghouri and Škorjanec, who reprised their American Smooth routine to Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi.
They also performed a show dance to Sing, Sing, Sing by Benny Goodman.
Ghouri is Strictly’s second deaf contestant, three years after Rose Ayling-Ellis won the contest.
There was also a poignant moment when her brother surprised her, having just landed back from Australia.
“Can’t describe it,” he said, as they hugged. “Follow your dreams. You’re so special.”
Finally, Hadland and Coppola performed routines including a Cha Cha to Like A Prayer by Madonna.
They also did an American Smooth, scoring them 39 out of 40 – despite Coppola suffering a wardrobe malfunction.
Gill and Ghouri topped the final leaderboard, with 119 points each – followed by Hadland with 118, and McCausland at 116.
But after weeks of tangos, salsas and foxtrots, it was McCausland and Buswell’s night as they topped the public vote.
A charity has praised McCausland’s win, saying it will “lead to many more disabled people being included in the biggest TV shows”.
Steven Morris, who is deafblind and the campaigns officer for the disability charity Sense, said: “Chris’s historic Strictly Come Dancing win goes to show that given opportunities and support, disabled people can break down barriers many wrongly don’t think are possible.”
He added: “This is an important moment for representation.”
Other highlights on the night included a spectacular dance number, where the Strictly professionals were joined by Worth It singer Raye.
The entire line-up of 2024 also came back for one more routine.
There have been plenty of twists and turns in the show’s 20th anniversary year.
Highlights included Bollywood music coming to the ballroom, when contestant Punam Krishan and her partner Gorka Márquez danced to Bole Chudiyan from 2001 hit film Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.
It was the first time in the show’s history that a competing couple have performed to a traditional Bollywood song.
There was also controversy when dancer Katya Jones appeared to move her partner Wynne Evans’s hand from her waist.
She later said it was “nonsense” that the moment made her feel uncomfortable in any way.
It came after a difficult summer for the show, with a number of former celebrity contestants speaking up about their negative experiences on Strictly.
The BBC apologised to Amanda Abbington and upheld some of her complaints against her 2023 dance partner Giovanni Pernice, including those of verbal bullying and harassment, but cleared him of the most serious claims.
The corporation also introduced new duty of care measures, including putting chaperones in rehearsals.
This year’s series began in September with 15 celebrities in the running including DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles, Gladiator and Olympian Montell Douglas and three-time Olympic champion Tom Dean.
EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick, Eighties popstar Toyah Willcox and singer Shayne Ward also appeared on the show.
The series was judged by Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse.
The 2023 contest was won by Coppola and Coronation Street actress Ellie Leach.
