Strictly Come Dancing 2024: First contestant officially confirmed

Virgin Radio

5 Aug 2024, 09:44

The BBC has officially revealed the first celebrity name who will be joining Strictly Come Dancing for its 20th anniversary series.

After much speculation over the past few weeks and even one leak from a rumoured contestant themselves, it has now been confirmed that blind comedian Chris McCausland will be joining the show for its 2024 season.

"If anybody out there is thinking: 'How the hell is he going to do that?' then rest assured that I am thinking exactly the same thing," the regular panel show star who is blind quipped in a statement released earlier today.

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The comedian will make history as the show's first ever blind contestant, and his historic involvement in the show had previously been rumoured in the press.

Today (5th August)'s announcement follows head judge Shirley Ballas' teasing to virginradio.co.uk and other press at the TRIC awards that Strictly Come Dancing 2024 would have the show's "most fantastic line-up ever" in order to celebrate its 20th anniversary.

"I think you're going to be surprised at some of the people that they've managed to get on this show," the superstar dancer added.

While Strictly's cast and crew have been hyping up this year's show's new stars, excitement for the competition has been marred by controversies surrounding the behaviour of some of its now former professional dancers.

Amanda Abbington was the first star to complain about her treatment after she dropped out of the show last year. Her claims about “bullying behaviour” in the rehearsal room led to an investigation and the eventual firing of her professional partner Giovanni Pernice, who still denies any wrongdoing.

Professional dancer Graziano Di Prima was axed from the upcoming series of the BBC dancing competition due to “claims of gross misconduct” based on “events” which occurred during his rehearsals with Love Island’s Zara McDermott.

Meanwhile, Paralympian Will Bayley has also opened up about how he suffered a life-changing injury while taking part in the show after he claims he was pressured into performing a jump which he didn’t want to commit to because of his disability.

In response to increased scrutiny about the show's support and care of its stars, the BBC have announced they will be taking “additional steps to strengthen welfare and support” for all who compete on Strictly.

These developments have been welcomed by those close to the show including long-standing judge Craig Revel Horwood.

Explaining during an appearance on BBC Breakfast that he was "gobsmacked" to hear about the alleged abuse which some stars have allegedly undergone while rehearsing for the show, the dancer expressed his great support for the BBC's plans to introduce chaperones into the Strictly Come Dancing rehearsal rooms, alongside other measures.

Strictly Come Dancing will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this Autumn.