Comedian Chris McCausland had Strictly Come Dancing fans in tears on Saturday evening as he performed an emotional Waltz with his dancer partner, Dianne Buswell.
The dancing duo performed their routine to ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ by Gerry and the Pacemakers – Liverpool City football club’s anthem.
One particularly moving segment saw proud Liverpudlian Chris, 47, dancing solo before the pair reunited and danced in hold for the remainder of the song.
Their routine received praise from the judges, with Motsi Mabuse rising to her feet in a standing ovation. Elsewhere, head judge Shirley Ballas said she needed a moment after their routine left a lasting impression on her, while Anton Du Beke gushed: “Your timing is exquisite. I had a moment, I welled up.”
Reflecting on their dance, an emotional Shirley said: “I think I need a minute to get myself together here, I found that extremely emotional.
“You know I am from that neck of the woods shall we say, close to Liverpool, I thought this number, I mean the music itself is just beautiful, but your footwork! Your lines!”
She went on to say: “I am coming back to the footwork, I don’t think I have ever witnessed footwork like that, it was spectacular.”
Fans of the show were similarly moved by Chris and Dianne’s poignant performance.
Viewers were quick to express their thoughts on social media, with one writing: “Genuinely sobbing at Chris and Dianne’s dance right now. It was unbelievably stunning,” while a second noted: “Sobbing at Chris AGAIN,” and a third added: “That was so beautiful from Chris and Dianne, I’m bawling.”
Their routine from week five scored an impressive 35 points, placing them third on the leaderboard behind Montell Douglas and Jamie Borthwick.
Since he made his glittering debut in week one, Chris has been hailed as an inspiration by viewers, with fans heaping praise on the comedian’s ability to dance without sight.
The star lost his sight at the age of 22 due to a hereditary condition called retinitis pigmentosa. According to the Moorfields Eye Hospital, retinitis pigmentosa is the name given to a group of conditions, which result in the gradual degeneration of the light sensitive cells of the retina.
Opening up about his condition, Chris told i News last year: “My grandmother had it, and my mum. Basically, I’d been going blind very slowly since I was born, and so didn’t even really notice it happening.”
He continued: “They say that when you lose your sight, your hearing gets better. It doesn’t. But you do pay more attention to it.”