Blog

All of the Strictly finalists are desperate to lift the Glitterball trophy on Saturday evening.

But for the show’s first ever blind contestant Chris McCausland, he has got added pressure – from his 11-year-old daughter Sophie.

The Liverpool-born comic said when he first signed up for the dance contest his child was ‘terrified’ at the prospect of him taking part, but like audiences at home she was quickly won round.

Chris, 47, told Mail Online: ‘She started saying to me that she was really proud of what we’ve done and she’d say every Saturday, ‘It doesn’t matter if you go out Daddy, because I think you’ve already won.’

The TV star’s blindness has not stopped his increasingly technical dances attracting a string of high scores from the Strictly judges over the past 12 weeks.

But his success has now caused his daughter to revise her expectations.

+4
View gallery

All of the Strictly finalists are desperate to lift the Glitterball trophy but for the show’s first ever blind contestant Chris McCausland, he has got added pressure – from his daughter Sophie

+4
View gallery

Chirs will compete against JB Gill, Tasha Ghouri and Sarah Hadland in Strictly’s finale on Saturday night

Last week, Sophie told her father: ‘Daddy, do you know when I said it doesn’t matter? I’ve changed my mind. I think you can win this thing.’

Chris and his dance partner Diane Buswell will dance three routines – a show dance, the couple’s choice, and a Waltz – in Saturday’s last show of the season.

The pair admitted it has been an emotional week as they prepare to say goodbye to the show, with the comedian breaking down in tears during a ‘little wobble’.

Australian professional Diane, 35, said: ‘Yesterday during rehearsals I saw Chris’s eyes glistening over. I said, ‘Are you all right?’ He said: ‘I just had a vision that this will actually be our last dance on Saturday night. It makes me really sad.’ And then he and then he set me off. It will be sad. We’ve spent so much time together over these last three months.’

Chris added: ‘Our last dance is going to be our Waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone. It’s an emotional song anyway, and I had this little thought of us ending the dance, and that being the end of everything we’ve done, and it just gets me emotional. I’ve been a mess this whole week.’

 

‘It’s been an incredible experience. It’s been exhausting, and it’s been the scariest thing I’ve ever done, but it’s certainly been the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done, and it’s the thing that’s gonna have the most lasting effect on me in terms of my outlook on the world and life.’

He added: ‘I can’t remember a life before Strictly. It literally feels like this is all I’ve ever done.’

Competing against Chris for the Strictly trophy are actress Sarah Hadland, JLS boyband singer JB Gill, and reality TV star Tasha Ghouri.

+4
View gallery

The Liverpool-born comic said when he first signed up for the dance contest his child was ‘terrified’ at the prospect of him taking part, but she was quickly won round

Chris said that when he started his ‘fear was immense’ and he had previously turned down the BBC flagship show.

He said: ‘I said no to this a few times because it was terrifying. I don’t mind doing things that are challenging. I like a challenge. I like new things. I’ve been out in the comfort zone, but I need to know that I can do good and represent myself and represent other people well.’

‘There was a huge doubt about that, and that first episode was terrifying, and it’s been terrifying every week, but just in different ways, maybe less so in different weeks.’

‘It’s got a little bit easier on the nerves, but they’ve always been there, and so just being able to know that I can kind of do things that are what you consider to be a little bit paralyzing, really, and a lot more resilience and determination than maybe I thought I even had.’

Chris and Diane have formed a special bond since appearing on the show which has made them firm favourites for the Glitterball, and Chris praised his partnership.

‘I think that whoever is in charge, I think they knew what they were doing, and I think they knew that Diane would be the best partner for me in terms of humour, her outlook on life where she comes from, just the similarities between us and her communication and just I think they just, they knew how good we would work together. And I’m so grateful for that. We hit the ground running.’

+4
View gallery

Chris said that when he started his ‘fear was immense’ and he had previously turned down the BBC flagship show

Chris joked that the pair sometimes had disagreements in rehearsals.

He said: ‘There’s been times where I’ve had to ask you to keep your mouth shut and I’d say, ‘I need some space between your voice and my face.” You can’t be in that intensive relationship between deadlines and not [need a break from each other].’

‘You have to have the respect for each other to kind of just turn away and have a little bit of distance and then come back with a smile on your face, because it’s intensive. It’s hard. There’s deadlines, deadlines, stress.’

Diane added: ‘I would like to think I’ve made you a little bit less moany at times. We’ve both helped each other a lot in this.’

The comedian, who will have fellow stand-up and friend Lee Mack in the audience on the weekend, also said he had a newfound appreciation for Strictly as he had never previously watched the show.

‘I didn’t appreciate it. It wasn’t on the radar. First time I heard the theme tune was in episode one. I didn’t watch the show obviously’

‘I had no emotional connection to it whatsoever. And it was other people telling me that they thought I should really give this some consideration.’

‘I’ve really come to appreciate what it is and the reach it has and how it matters to people. It’s the support we’ve had and the interaction it gets from the people at home, how it matters to people, how it lifts their moods, how it helps people overcome their own issues, just having that, it’s some people’s football in a way.’

‘And I appreciate that now, and I get that. And, you know, I wouldn’t want to get rid of football. People love it, and I appreciate it. People love this in the same way, and it matters to people.’

‘Look after it for generations to come. I think that’s a perfect sentiment.’

Dougie and Danny won the jungle, while Harry was crowned Strictly champ

McFly star Tom Fletcher has opened up about feeling like he’s “letting the side down” after his three bandmates each secured a victory on reality TV shows.

During an appearance on The One Show this week, Tom congratulated fellow band member Danny Jones on his recent win in I’m A Celebrity… and reflected on the pressure of being the only member of McFly without a reality show crown.

Tom Fletcher appeared on the one show last night and said he’s definitely McFly’s odd one out (Credit: BBC)

Tom Fletcher admits being odd one out

Speaking to hosts Roman Kemp and Lauren Laverne, Tom joked about being the odd one out in McFly’s winning streak.

“Well, we have two in the band. Dougie [Poynter] was King of the Jungle as well, and Harry [Judd] was the king of the dance floor,” he said, referencing Dougie’s 2011 I’m A Celeb win and Harry’s Strictly Come Dancing victory the same year.

He joked that he was the only one “letting the side down”.

Tom also acknowledged his wife, Giovanna Fletcher, who won I’m A Celebrity in 2020.

“And my wife won as well, yes, I’m literally the only one who hasn’t won a reality show. Thanks for reminding me,” he quipped.

Tom took part in Strictly in 2021. He was partnered with Amy Dowden and was the eighth celebrity to be eliminated. When asked if he would ever consider a return to reality TV, Tom admitted it would come with a lot of pressure.

“Well, I can’t now. There would just be the most immense pressure on me to try and win it.”

Despite his reluctance to join a reality show, Tom shared how much he enjoyed watching his bandmates compete.

“To be honest, I love it when my friends are on the shows because it’s the highlight of my year. Sitting back and watching Danny was absolutely brilliant – it was the highlight of our year, and he did so well. It was brilliant watching him.”

Tom is the only one of the McFly boys not to win a reality show (Credit: splash News)

Danny’s illness

Danny, who was crowned the winner of I’m A Celebrity… last week, spoke emotionally about his time in the jungle.

Reflecting on the experience, Danny said: “I’ve had some of the hardest times I’ve ever had and some of the highest of highs.”

The singer also expressed gratitude for the support he received from fans.

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart.” He gushed. “I gave my all in there, gave myself, and it’s a lovely feeling to be liked.”

The McFly star recently revealed that he fell ill after ignoring doctor’s advice on how to re-adjust to life after the jungle.

In a series of Instagram clips, Danny admitted that he immediately overindulged on food – which left him “really ill”.

“That night I was really ill, like really ill. Up all night,” he shared. “So the next morning I went a bit more gentle with some fruit. Anyway, this morning, I feel better.”

 

So did you enjoy I’m A Celebrity in 2024? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know!

Coleen Rooney has swapped her luxury £20 million mansion for the I’m A Celeb star Aussie jungle.

Model Coleen is one of many famous faces taking part in this year’s series of the ITV show – which is on tonight (November 19).

Back in the UK though, Coleen lives in a gigantic Cheshire pad, with hubby Wayne and their four children Kai, 15, Klay, 11, Kit, eight, and Cass, six.

But how many bedrooms does the mansion have? What is inside Wayne’s trophy room? And what does their bedroom look like? Keep reading to find out…

The couple reside in a luxury mansion (Credit: SplashNews.com)

I’m A Celeb Coleen Rooney home

Coleen and Wayne – who have been together since they were 16 – first bought the plot of land for their mansion back in 2017, and forked out a reported £4 million for it.

Since then, they have built a jaw-dropping humble abode, nestled behind a lake and spread across 40 acres of countryside.

The house sits on 40 acres of land (Credit: ITVX)

Inside Coleen’s house

It’s fair to say the mansion looks more like a hotel than a home. Inside, the crib boasts a home cinema, snooker room, underground spa and wine cellar.

Meanwhile, outside, there are stables with space for 14 hours, an outdoor spa and of course, a footy pitch.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Coleen Rooney (@coleen_rooney)

Coleen Rooney living room

No stranger to glam, Coleen has opted for total opulence inside the mansion – including plenty of chandeliers.

The living room has a rather luxurious style – complete with huge windows, beige panelling and flooring so clean you could eat your dinner off it!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Coleen Rooney (@coleen_rooney)

Coleen’s children’s playroom

With four kids, it’s no suspense Coleen and Wayne have a playroom. For son Klay’s seventh birthday, proud mum Coleen pulled out all the stops.

She kitted out the room – which features black walls and cream carpets – with blue and red balloons endless presents and life-sized cardboard cut-outs of The Rock and John Cena.

 

Wayne has his own trophy room (Credit: ITX)

Wayne Rooney’s trophy room

With Wayne being a legendary footballer, it’s no surprise that he has a room decked out with his trophies. Inside, the space is kitted out with glass cabinets, full of football memorabilia from over the years.

Manchester United shirts, match balls and England caps are just a few of the items, as well as Man of the Match bottles of Champagne.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Coleen Rooney (@coleen_rooney)

Coleen and Wayne’s kitchen

Stepping into the gigantic kitchen, and Coleen has opted for a stunning bar area as well as a gleaming white marble island that dominates the room.

She also has huge silver cooker which is located against the back wall, and glossy white cupboards. Finishing off the luxurious vibe, sleek white flooring has been fitted too.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Coleen Rooney (@coleen_rooney)

I’m A Celeb star Coleen Rooney and Wayne’s bedroom

Coleen and Wayne have not just bagged any average bed; the pair own possibly the biggest bed of all time.

In 2020, Coleen uploaded a snap to celebrate Father’s Day that showed Wayne and his children in their gigantic bed.

The bed itself boasts a button-back grey metallic headboard. While inside their bedroom, there are two full-length mirrors and a black wooden chest of drawers.

Kate Middleton is reported to be confronting her future role as Queen sooner than she expected, after the royal family has had to prepare for the ‘inevitable’ transition of power

A Royal source has claimed that the King’s ordeal with cancer has had a profound impact on Kensington Palace, hastening preparations for Prince William’s ascent to the throne.

Despite King Charles being in good spirits at 76 following his treatment and recovery process, it seems Kate Middleton is grappling with the prospect of becoming Queen sooner than anticipated, dealing with her own cancer struggle in the past year as well.

Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith told People magazine: “Although the King is carrying out his duties with typical determination, he has had to accept limitations during his cancer treatment. As a result William has been taking on more responsibilities, and he and Kate have been preparing for their future roles sooner than they would have expected.”

One palace insider remarked: “There’s a sense of calm before the storm. They are next in line for the biggest job of their lives, and of course, Kate’s health has taken priority, but it’s also allowed everyone to take a step back and figure out what’s important right now.”

A YSL beauty icon loved by Kate Middleton is on offer in the Debenhams sale ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

Meanwhile, according to US magazine reports, behind the scenes plans are quietly advancing for the duo’s eventual succession, clarifying that both William and Kate are “increasingly aware” of the impending responsibilities. Notably, William deputised for Charles at Notre Dame Cathedral’s reopening ceremony in Paris on December 7, engaging in a lengthy conversation with then US President-elect Donald Trump.

In his usual straightforward manner, Mr Trump later shared: “I asked him about his wife, and he said she’s doing well. And I asked him about his father, and his father is fighting very hard, and he loves his father, and he loves his wife, so it was sad.”

Royal insiders maintain that succession plans are always ready. “It is something the institution is always mindful of,” a source revealed to People, describing the situation as one of “institutional awareness”.

Donald Trump and Prince William met on Saturday ( 
Image:
Aaron Chown – Pool/Getty Images)Friends have stated that Kate and William will not alter their priorities, with their children George, Charlotte and Louis always being their main focus. “Life-threatening illnesses bring a reconsideration of priorities,” one friend noted.”She and William have always made it clear that family is the most important thing.”

However, it seems evident that there has been a shift in thinking about what the future may entail, according to the Scottish Daily Express. Royal author Robert Hardman commented: “We are being encouraged not to look at this as a chapter that’s over and then it’s back to normal, because cancer doesn’t work like that. The details remain private, but there’s no sense of trying to gloss over the reality that it’s an unpredictable disease.”

During a recent appearance at Princess Kate’s annual Christmas carol service, young Prince Louis broke with a long-established royal tradition – and it wasn’t the first time

Whenever Prince Louis attends royal events with his parents Prince William and Princess Kate, he always steals the show.

A firm favorite amongst royal fans, the adorable six-year-old recently stepped out with his siblings Prince George, 11, and Princess Charlotte, nine, to attend the Christmas carol service that Kate puts on each year at Westminster Abbey.

Royal watchers are always delighted when the three Wales children accompany their parents to official engagements – and it doesn’t happen that often, because the future King and Queen work hard to ensure that their three youngsters get to enjoy as normal a childhood as possible.

When Louis appeared at the carol service it also marked a break with somewhat of a royal tradition – and this isn’t the first time Louis has been spotted doing this. Generally speaking, when male royal children are young they are rarely seen in long trousers, instead opting for shorts that are deemed more age-appropriate – however for the second year in a row, Louis wore full-length trousers to the festive event.

Louis looked adorable in a full suit – something he hasn’t worn before at an official engagement – and he was perfectly coordinated with big brother George and dad William, with all three sporting bright red ties that were in the same shade as Kate’s festive coat.

As reported in Hello magazine, before the age of seven it’s quite unusual to see a royal child in a full suit, with George donning one for the first time at that age, when he attended the Euro 2020 final in London, so Louis has been allowed to do so a whole year earlier than his big brother.

A protocol expert and etiquette coach – William Hanson – has previously explained to Hello why the royals err towards short when it comes to dressing their children: “Today, young boys usually transition into trousers around age seven. Prince George is always seen in shorts because upper-class and upper-middle-class parents believe that little boys should look like little boys, and so try to keep their offspring looking as cute and innocent for as long as possible.”

The expert continued:”It’s one of the many silent class indicators we have in Britain. Trousers on young boys is considered a tad suburban and lower market.”

In 2023, Louis did sport a pair of full-length trousers for the Christmas carol service, but instead of a full suit, he wore a cosy double-breasted coat and a checked shirt beneath, showing that Prince William and Princess Kate may have been transitioning him slowly toward a full smart suit.

Given the cold weather at this time of year, it’s no surprise that the couple were happy to let Louis wear long trousers – whatever established etiquette amongst the upper classes is. Kate and William are said to be hands-on parents, who put their responsibilities towards their children above all else – so breaking with this tradition to ensure their youngest son is nice and warm is a clear indicator of their priorities.

Homes Under The Hammer host Martin Roberts has made over 700 episodes of the hit BBC property auction show – but one house stands out in his memory for a startling discovery

Martin Roberts has recalled the heart stopping moment a member of the Homes Under The Hammer crew announced they had discovered a dead body in a house they were filming inside.

The 61-year-old has been a presenter on the BBC property auction series since 2003 and has appeared in over 700 episodes so far. Having explored hundreds of houses through the BBC show alone, if would be forgivable to allow the host to not remember every property he has surveyed as part of the show.

However, there was one home in particular that Martin and the film crew may remember for the rest of their days as they were left fearing they had a dead body on their hands. In a new interview, Martin has cast his mind back to the moment a crew member returned from exploring the upstairs area of a property where they feared they had made an alarming discovery.

He explained: “We went to this one house, which had clearly been lived in until very recently. Almost like the kettle was still hot kind of thing and we went in and then the director went and had a look around. And she came out absolutely ashen in the face. And she said, ‘There is a dead body! There’s a dead body in the bed’.”

Martin has hosted the BBC show since 2003 ( 
Image:
BBC)

Continuing his tale to the Daily Mail, Martin went on to reveal that the team went up to the room together where they saw the shape of a body under the covers. They all breathed a sigh of relief as they heard that the body was snoring – however, there was a further tragic element to the tale as it turned out the body was an old man who had been left behind by his family.

Martin recalled: “And then this old man sat bolt upright, no teeth and said, ‘Where’s my family?’ and the people had left in such a rush that they forgot grandad. Grandad was still sleeping in the bed. The family had left. The house had been sold. He’s suddenly faced with film crew from homes under.”

The BBC host explained that they were able to track down the family to a nearby home and the grandfather was soon reunited with them. The Mirror has contacted the BBC for further comment on the alleged incident.

In a recent interview with WalesOnline, Martin shared his top piece of advice for prospective home owners looking around properties. He said: “The one Homes Under the Hammer tip, outside the legal pack and always visiting beforehand, is never open the fridge. If there’s ever a fridge in a property… don’t open it, don’t even go there. A freezer? Even worse! Don’t even think about opening that door, we’re opening Pandora’s box of obnoxiousness.”

And in the same conversation, Martin spilled the beans on the most common question he gets from fans. He disclosed: “The big question that a lot of people have is ‘Do we only show the ones that are successful’ and the reality is no, there’s no fudging on Homes Under the Hammer, it’s completely what you see is what you get.”

I’m A Celebrity runner-up Coleen Rooney has teased that she will reunite with her co-stars from the ITV show once again soon after having returned to the UK from Australia

Former campmate Coleen Rooney has shared that she will be reuniting with her co-stars from I’m A Celebrity in the coming weeks after having returned to the UK this week.

Coleen, 38, is now back home after having been named runner-up on the latest series of the ITV show in Sunday night’s final. She had been a campmate in Australia with the likes of Danny Jones, who was crowned King of the Jungle.

Following her return, Coleen shared a video message with her followers on Instagram. She expressed gratitude to fans and her co-stars for their support, before teasing a reunion with the other celebrities after the Christmas period.

She said in the video: “What a year to be involved in I’m A Celeb, y’know … what a camp. We are friends for life. Our group chat that we have created has not stopped. We’ve all been on this morning saying how jetlagged we are.”

Coleen added that herself and Alan Halsall had both respectively been on the school run since returning to the UK. She added that some of the group had also watched back bushtucker trials from their time on the latest series.

She then told fans: “It’s been a joy to be a part of and we are all gonna enjoy Christmas, and I hope you all enjoy Christmas, and then in the New Year we’re going to get together, have a reunion … yeah do a few things together.”

Coleen Rooney shared a video message after returning to the UK this week ( 
Image:
Coleen Rooney/Instagram)

The former campmate, pictured last year, was named runner-up on I’m A Celebrity last weekend ( 
Image:
Dave Benett/Getty Images for Disney+)
Most of the campmates from this year’s I’m A Celebrity had already reunited when Danny was crowned the winner last weekend. Eleven of them were present for the final, with Tulisa Contostavlos, who had left Australia days prior, having been the only absent campmate. A spokesperson for Tulisa told the Mirror last week that the decision for her to return to the UK had been taken for “welfare reasons” and she later apologised for her absence at Sunday’s final.

Elsewhere in her video, Coleen said: “I’m back in the UK. I’m a bit jet lagged. The kids are in school and I just wanted to come on to say wow wow wow. I am so overwhelmed with the love, support, generosity [and] positivity that you’ve all shown while I was in the jungle and since I’ve come out.”

She further commented: “I can’t thank you enough for your messages, your comments and I am just so glad that you all enjoyed the show this year. Thank you to every single one of you that voted for me. Y’know, you kept me in until the end, so I got the full jungle experience and I can’t thank you enough for that. I absolutely loved it.”

“Don’t get me wrong, it was hard. It was really hard. But with your love and support, and my 11 campmates’ love and support and friendship, you all got me through it and I am so grateful for that,” the former campmate added.

Gregg Wallace, 60, is said to have come to terms with the fact that there is a possibility he will be fired from MasterChef once the BBC concludes its investigation into him

Gregg Wallace has allegedly told his friends he is “f****d” while expressing his fears that he will be sacked from MasterChef once the investigation into harassment and groping claims ends.

The 60-year-old judge has stepped away from presenting the cookery show after producer Banijay UK announced it would be launching an external review into historical allegations of misconduct. He has denied any wrongdoing as his lawyers said “it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.”

However, after coming under fire in recent weeks, Wallace has “quietly conceded” that he has “lost everything” and knows that there is a possibility he will be fired from MasterChef, a source has claimed. The unnamed source added that the judge knows he will have to “step aside” and “has come to terms with it.”

A source claimed the judge has conceded he has ‘lost everything’ ( 
Image:
BBC)
Speaking to The Sun, the source said: “Gregg’s conceded he has lost everything. To put it bluntly, he’s told people, ‘I’m f***ed’. He came out swinging but he has quietly conceded that he knows his time on MasterChef is over and that he will be stepping aside. He has contested the sexual ­allegations and insisted any jokes he made were just jokes. He said he never meant to cause any offence. Gregg has been under a huge amount of pressure since the allegations came to light and tried his best to fight his corner.”

The newspaper also mentioned another source who claimed that while the probe is ongoing, John Torode will stay on MasterChef and a female will step into Wallace’s role. They said: “MasterChef is a juggernaut of a show and the wheels don’t stop turning. Not long after the probe into Gregg’s conduct, casting started for the celebrity series. While the probe is ongoing, it has been made clear to production that John is going to be staying and that a female will step into Gregg’s role.”

“The BBC and Banijay UK have now spoken to a number of different individuals and they know they must be seen to take action. Gregg knows the time will come when he has to step aside and as much as that pains him, it seems he has come to terms with it.”

Last week, Banijay UK – the producers of MasterChef – said in a statement: “It is important to note, that MasterChef welfare processes are regularly adapted and strengthened and there are clear protocols to support both crew and contributors. These include multiple ways of reporting issues, including anonymously. HR contact details are promoted, and contributors are assigned a point of contact on set available to discuss any issues or concerns.”

Meanwhile, BBC bosses said the corporation will not “tolerate behaviour that falls below the standards we expect” and will continue to champion “a culture that is kind, inclusive and respectful.” In the message sent to staff by the corporation’s director-general Tim Davie, and Charlotte Moore, the BBC’s chief content officer, on Friday last week, they further said that they would be supporting Banijay UK with their investigation and added: “It is critical that every part of the BBC upholds our values including where companies are working with us.”

A BBC spokesperson told The Mirror: “In recent days there has been concerning allegations made via the media about the alleged conduct of Gregg Wallace many of which relate to shows made for the BBC. These media stories are running alongside an independent investigation, which was instigated after formal complaints were made direct to the BBC and were referred to Banijay UK for further investigation. We would like to thank those who have had the courage to speak out. It can be hard to come forward, but we want to assure everyone who does that we will treat anything raised with us with the greatest possible care.

“Banijay UK launched the review because they have the direct contractual relationship with Gregg Wallace. He is not employed by the BBC. When issues have been raised with the BBC we have taken action, referring issues to the relevant production company and challenging his behaviour directly as has been widely reported.

“We hope Banijay UK’s independent investigation can be concluded rigorously and as swiftly as possible. We want the review to follow due process and ensure fairness to all involved. We will provide whatever assistance we can to the investigation. We are already running our own review into workplace culture. It is vital that we have an industry that is not only committed to the highest standards of behaviour and conduct, but that is reflected in people’s experiences. We have always been clear that should people want to raise issues with the BBC, they will be taken very seriously.”

As dance fans prepare for the highly anticipated Strictly Come Dancing finale on Saturday night, this year fans have an extra reason to celebrate as the show marks a historic first

After 12 weeks of sequins, shimmies and more fancy footwork than you can shake a stick at, this week Strictly Come Dancing ’s phenomenal 20th series will finally come to a close, with the four remaining contestants Sarah Hadland, JB Gill, Chris McCausland and Tasha Ghouri, duking it out for the chance to claim the coveted glitter ball trophy. Yet while many fans are used to the process by now, this year marks a historic first for the hit BBC show, as two of the four finalists are disabled – a move which many disability charities have praised for finally showing disabled people up and down the country, that anything is possible when it comes to living their dreams.

Finalist Chris, who has been partnered with Diane Buswell for this year’s competition, lives with a condition called retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic condition which causes vision loss, and has led the comedian becoming blind. Meanwhile former Love Island star Tasha Ghouri, who has been paired with Aljaž Škorjanec, was born deaf and after initially being fitted for a hearing aid as a child, later went on to be given a cochlear implant.

Strictly Come Dancing finalists 2024 are Chris McCausland, JB Gill, Sarah Hadland and Tasha Ghouri and their pro partnersThis weekend, both Tasha and Chris will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of former deaf contestant Rose Ayling-Ellis, who famously won the show back in 2021 with partner Giovanni Pernice, after dazzling judges and audiences alike.

Speaking about the significance of having two disabled contestants make it all the way to the final after stunning audiences with their performances on screen, Steven Morris, Campaigns Officer for the disability charity Sense, who himself is deafblind, said: “Over the last few months, millions across the country have been wowed by the efforts of Chris and Tasha.

Chris McCausland lost his sight at 22 and is a finalist on Strictly Come Dancing with his pro partner Dianne Buswell ( 
Image:
PA)

“Their incredible progress to this weekend’s final goes to show that given opportunities and support, disabled people can break down barriers many wrongly don’t think are possible.

“This is an important moment for representation. Disabled people make up nearly a quarter (24%) of the population, but more than a third (39%) say that their experiences are never or rarely seen in the media.

“Hopefully, Chris and Tasha’s success on this year’s Strictly will lead to many more disabled people being included in the biggest TV shows.”

Tasha Ghouri and Aljaz Skorjanec are also set to compete ( 
Image:
PA)

Meanwhile, the Royal Society for Blind Children also weighed in on the milestone moment, with Julie Davis, CEO saying: “Chris’s Strictly journey has been an inspiration to the 35,000 children and young people living with vision impairment across the UK. Every week he has thrown himself into the experience and broken outdated stereotypes about what blind and partially sighted people can achieve.

“Learning to dance, at the level he has, is challenging for anyone. However, Chris and Diane have been able to demonstrate that, with the right structure and tools, anyone can reach their full potential whether it’s on the Strictly dancefloor, education, or in everyday life. Absolutely thrilled for Chris and Diane!”

MasterChef: The Professionals winner Dan Merriman had nothing but praise for Gregg Wallace as he discussed his experience on the show

MasterChef: The Professionals winner Dan Merriman had nothing but praise for Gregg Wallace as he shared his experience on the show.

Throughout the tight competition, Dan wowed the judges Marcus Wareing, Monica Galetti and controversial star Gregg Wallace. He also impressed restaurant critics and some of the country’s leading chefs – delivering outstanding, innovative food and skilful cookery for them to taste.

Reacting to his win, Dan said recently: “To walk away as MasterChef Champion, it means the world to me. There’s not been that many times where I’ve been proud of myself in my life, but I’ve hit the pinnacle! This whole competition has changed my life. I’m forever grateful.”

And now, he also opened up about his experience with Gregg – who has been under fire over accusations over his behaviour. Gregg was placed under investigation last month due to historic complaints that he’d made “sexual comments” on set of MasterChef, with Newsnight host Kirsty Wark among several people who have accused the MasterChef presenter of making inappropriate sexual comments or jokes.

MasterChef Professionals winner breaks silence on experience with Gregg Wallace

The BBC host stepped away from MasterChef a couple of weeks ago amid the investigation but responded to the accusations with a series of posts on Instagram. In his posts, Gregg vehemently denied having taken part in any wrongdoing. Speaking about his experience with Gregg, Dan said his “experience with Gregg was great”.

Dan Merriman had nothing but praise for Gregg Wallace
The MasterChef: The Professionals winner praised Gregg and told The Times: “He’s a happy-go-lucky kind of bloke, very encouraging and very supportive. He gave me some great comments and feedback.” Dan also doesn’t think the scandal surrounding Wallace has lessened the show’s standing.

“At the end of the day, the programme is all about the contestants. We’ve had a lot of support from the public, from social media, and I don’t feel like it’s been overshadowed. Nor should it be. It shouldn’t take away from the achievements of any one of the 32 chefs who took part,” he said to the publication.

He said Gregg Wallace was ‘very supportive’ ( 
Image:
BBC /Shine TV)
Meanwhile, BBC bosses have previously said the corporation will not “tolerate behaviour that falls below the standards we expect” and will continue to champion “a culture that is kind, inclusive and respectful”. A memo sent to staff by the BBC director-general, Tim Davie, and Charlotte Moore, chief content officer, said the corporation would be supporting MasterChef producer Banijay UK in its investigation.

Wallace also apologised for claiming complaints about his behaviour came from “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age”, adding he will “take some time out”. Lawyers for Wallace have previously strongly denied “he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature”, according to BBC News.

The Christmas specials of MasterChef have been pulled from the BBC ’s schedules after allegations surfaced about Gregg.