Chris McCausland is quickly becoming a favourite in this year's Strictly ballroom as he makes history as the first blind contestant. But away from the dancefloor he is a father of one - something which the comedian hasn't always found easy.
In an interview with Gyles Brandreth, the Have I Got News For You star revealed that the prospect of having a child "terrified" him.
© Guy Levy"I was in such a dilemma about it because I knew I would regret not having kids, but the thought of having kids terrified me," Chris explained.
Chris' parenting revelation
"The idea of being a parent and all of the things I was going to be unable to do properly. My dad, all the things he used to do with me as a kid, taking me to different places, and the time he put in helping me build things.
© Getty"You go, 'How am I going to be able to do those things - I'm not going to be a proper dad, I'm going to be a half dad'. That kind of really caused me a lot of torment in my head," the Would I Lie To You star added.
The Scared of the Dark star also revealed that before his daughter was born he believed he would find fatherhood easier if he were to have a daughter.
© Shane Anthony Sinclair"Weirdly, I think I wanted a girl because I figured if we got a girl I could be a loving dad, but some of the practical obligations that fall on dads they'd fall more on [his wife] Patricia because she'd be a girl," Chris admitted.
© Shutterstock"There wouldn't be blokes' things that I would then not be able to take my son to. But being a dad has been amazing."
Chris' sight loss
The comedian's sight loss is a result of having retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a rare eye disease which, according to Moorfields Eye Hospital, causes "the gradual degeneration of the light-sensitive cells of the retina".
© Ray BurmistonChris was diagnosed with RP at the age of 22 and his sight started to deteriorate throughout his university years which he has previously described as a "scary and embarrassing" time.
"I knew I would never be on a level playing field with everyone else," the ballroom star shared. "The technology available at that time wasn’t advanced enough, so I had to abandon my career path in web development."
© ShutterstockDISCOVER: Strictly's Chris McCausland brings fans to tears after moving first dance with Dianne Buswell
In an episode of Scared of the Dark, the Not Going Out actor explained that he can "still see light and space" and has "an awareness of the space around me, not in terms of objects and things, but in terms of the room and whether there might be something in front of me".
Strictly stars and their children
- Strictly pro Gorka Marquez and former Strictly contestant Gemma Atkinson share two children, Mia and Thiago.
- Strictly: It Takes Two host Janette Manrara and her dancer husband Aljaz Skorjanec are parents to baby girl Lyra.
- Strictly winners Kevin Clifton and Stacey Dooley welcomed baby Minnie in January 2023.
- Former Strictly pros James and Ola Jordan share a daughter, Ella.
- Former pro Pasha Kovalev and Rachel Riley share two daughters, Maven and Noa.
- Strictly judge and ex-pro Anton du Beke and his wife Hannah share adorable twins George and Henrietta.
- Former Strictly star Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella became parents to son Matteo in July 2000.
- Professional dancer Natalie Lowe and her husband James Knibbs welcomed their son Jack in December 2020.
- Ben Cohen and former Strictly dancer Kristina Rihanoff met in series 11 and now share a daughter, Milena.
- Ex-Strictly pro Brendan Cole and his wife Zoe Hobbs are parents to Aurelia and Dante.
