Chris McCausland’s parents won’t be there to see him at tonight’s Strictly Come Dancing final because his mother has flu, MailOnline can reveal.
The blind comic, 47, who is Strictly’s first blind contestant, is the runaway favourite to win the hit BBC1 dance show.
But the CBeebies star will not be getting the live support from his parents as he tries to lift the glitterball trophy.
The funnyman’s father John, 71, revealed they will not be able to travel as his wife Valerie, 69, is ill.
Speaking at the family’s terraced home in Liverpool, he said: ‘We’re very proud of him – he’s done very well.
‘Unfortunately the wife’s in bed with flu so we’re not able to go down and see him.”
Asked if his son was going to win, John added: ‘You never know’.
Last Saturday Chris and partner Dianne Buswell scored 36 out of 40 for their Viennese waltz to Metallica track Nothing Else Matters.
Chris McCausland’s parents won’t be at the Strictly Come Dancing final because they have been hit with the flu
John, the father of the blind comic, disclosed that they will not be able to be there to support their son in his quest to win the glitterball trophy because his wife Valerie (pictured) is feeling unwell.
The dance favourite broke down in tears during Sunday night’s results show as he found out he had made it through the 2024 final.
During an interview with host Claudia Winkleman on Sunday, he expressed, ‘It’s been quite emotional,’ and extended his gratitude to the viewers and those who had cast their votes for supporting them and aligning with their efforts.
‘It’s been hard, it’s been the scariest thing I’ve ever done. It’s been knackering and I can barely talk.’
His dance partner Dianne, 35, said his emotions were genuine.
She said: ‘It’s hard to crack this guy, he hides behind his comedy a lot.’
The pair will be performing a Waltz to Liverpool anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone which they did earlier in the series.
Chris will be competing against fellow celebrities JB Gill, Sarah Hadland and Tasha Ghouri in Saturday’s grand final.
He turned to comedy after losing his sight 20 years ago, forcing him to give up his job as a web developer.
Last Saturday Chris and partner Dianne Buswell scored 36 out of 40 for their Viennese waltz to Metallica track Nothing Else Matters.
This week the dancing duo will be performing the Waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone – a routine they had done earlier in the series
The comic’s grandmother and mother (pictured) have also battled with the hereditary condition of retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that results in the deterioration and eventual loss of the retina.
Heading into the final alongside the funnyman is Love Island star Tasha Ghouri with her dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec
JLS’s JB Gill will also be trying to shimmy his way into first place and take home the glitterball trophy
But BAFTA nominated comedy actress Sarah Hadland will also be giving her fellow finalists a run for their money as they hit the dancefloor for that all important final
After growing up in Liverpool, his eyesight started to fail between the ages of 16 and 21 due to retinitis pigmentosa (RP).
In an interview with the Telegraph, the comic shared that both his mother and grandmother also suffered with the condition.
He said: ‘Basically I’d been going blind very slowly since I was born and so didn’t even really notice it happening. Like the frog in the pan of boiling water.’
RP is a group of rare, genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and loss of cells in the retina – the light sensitive tissue that lines the back of the eye.
The NHS website explains that people with RP lose their vision as light-sensing cells of the retina gradually deteriorate.
The funnyman however enjoyed success with his role in the cBeebies series Me Too but he’s also become a fixture of the comedy scene.
After trying his hand in comedy during a new act comedy night in 2003, Chris was soon recognised for his humour after winning the Jongleurs J2O Last Laugh competition, before gaining recognition in other competitions.
He went on to have a seven-year stint at the Edinburgh Fringe and an appearance on Live At The Apollo in 2018, before continuing on to make several TV appearances.
Chris has appeared on BBC show Have I got News for You as well as 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown on Channel 4.
