Blackpool was a special night for Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell, as the Strictly Come Dancing pair earned a whopping score, leaving the Australian pro in tears.
Comedian Chris, 47, and his professional partner, 35, became the 100th Strictly couple to perform in Blackpool, co-host Tess Daly revealed tonight.
The BBC One show aired from the world-famous Tower Ballroom on Saturday amid celebrations for its 20th anniversary year, opening with an electrifying medley from Pet Shop Boys.
Most years, the show has returned to the Lancashire seaside town, apart from during the pandemic when it took a break, returning in 2022.
Chris and Dianne were then the first couple on the bouncy floor with a gorgeous American smooth to Canada-born singer Paul Anka’s Jump.
They were praised heavily by the judges, who awarded them 37 points.
Head judge Shirley Ballas told black tie-wearing Chris that he had the ‘best feet [she’s] seen in a long time’, and ‘didn’t miss a beat’.
‘If anyone can beat that tonight, I’d be amazed,’ judge Anton Du Beke said.
Despite criticising Chris’s timing and arm extensions, which received a chorus of boos from the audience, Craig Revel Horwood did praise the comic for improving his frame.
‘You did that dance justice. I thought it was brilliant!’, he said.
Continuing to heap praise on him, Motsi Mabuse added: ‘You show hardworkship. You show that if you never give up, you can reach something and, with this dance, you made such a huge, huge statement.’
Speaking to Claudia Winkleman after their feedback, Chris told her that he ‘loved’ the routine.
‘I love the song. It’s just got style, hasn’t it? It’s been a joy to listen to all week. I really, really enjoy the ballroom. It feels like you’ve travelled back in time, it’s just wonderful.’
‘It’s always a huge relief to get through without making mistakes,’ he added, shouting out his family in the crowd.
Craig then scored Chris and Dianne eight; Motsi gave a nine, while both Shirley and Anton gave a 10.
The couple were amazed by their total as Dianne began sobbing and hugging Chris tightly, clearly in disbelief.
Taking to X following the emotional reaction, viewers at home were just as teary-eyed.
Heaping praise on the flame-haired beauty, who joined Strictly in 2017, KDCunliffe wrote: ‘Nobody in Strictly history deserves a TEN as much as Dianne Buswell this season. What she’s achieved with Chris McCausland is EXTRAORDINARY.’
‘You can absolutely tell how much more this means to Dianne than usual. Not that they’ve ever coasted by any means, but teaching Chris clearly has been such a different challenge for her and she’s absolutely nailing it’, wrote TheAmazingChi.
‘Chris and Dianne got me crying hard right now. Truly deserved those 10s’, added alexr_241.
Others declared that Chris ought to be ‘handed the Glitterball trophy’ immediately, also hailing ‘how far he’s come’ in the competition as ‘incredible’.
The Liverpudlian star has been a firm favourite among Strictly fanatics since the series began and he made history as their first-ever blind participant.
Last week, he had the nation weeping once again with his couple’s choice, which included a Strictly first when, mid-way through, the studio blacked out to mimic Chris’s own experience as a blind person.
Speaking in his VT, he told cameras of signing up for the programme: ‘You’ve gotta do things, haven’t you? If there’s something that’s scary, what is the worst that can happen?
‘I came into this thinking, “This could be a bit of a disaster,” but here we are.
‘I’m surprising myself as well as everybody else.’
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