Strictly Come Dancing’s Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell were crowned the winners (Image: BBC)

Strictly Come Dancing’s Chris McCausland delivered a surprising revelation to Dianne Buswell ahead of the final, but it was all in jest as the comedian seized one last opportunity to share a laugh with his dance partner.

The duo were visibly stunned on Saturday night (December 14) when they were announced as the winners of the BBC One dance contest’s 2024 series.

Chris and Dianne triumphed over formidable rivals Tasha Ghouri and Aljaz Skorjanec, JB Gill and Lauren Oakley, and Sarah Hadland and Vito Coopla to clinch the title for the 22nd series and hoist the coveted Glitterball trophy.

After three performances each, Chris and Dianne amassed a total score of 116 out of a possible 120.

Meanwhile, JB and Lauren, as well as Tasha and Aljaz, both scored near-perfect 119 points, while Sarah and Vito earned 118 points. Upon being declared this year’s champions of the BBC One dance contest by Tess Daly, an “astonished” Chris embraced Dianne, with both appearing overwhelmed by their victory.

The 47 year old admitted: “It’s astonishing. It’s you know. I don’t know what to say. I honestly thought I could go out in the first week or two and I know no-one went out in the first week but I still thought I could.”

Chris, after making history as the first blind contestant to clinch victory on Strictly, declared “anything can happen” with “support and determination”.

He expressed his gratitude towards his dance partner Dianne, stating: “She deserves this so much. She’s just honestly one of the easiest people to be funny with the other and unless she changes her number, she’s stuck with me”, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Chris and Dianne made history on Strictly Come Dancing (Image: PA)

His triumph has been lauded by disability organisations including Sense and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), highlighting the increased visibility for individuals living with disabilities.

Steven Morris from Sense, who is deafblind himself and serves as the campaigns officer, remarked that Chris’s win demonstrates how people “can break down barriers many wrongly don’t think are possible”, anticipating it will pave the way for greater inclusion of disabled individuals in major television programmes.

Alison Kerry, head of communications at Scope, emphasised the significant role of Strictly in dismantling obstacles, saying the “impact of Strictly in breaking down barriers can’t be underestimated”. She added: “Thanks to Chris’s winning performance, perceptions will be challenged and more people will be having conversations about the importance of disability inclusion and accessibility.”

Chris, not one to let his disability constrain him, even used it to inject humour during a light-hearted moment with Dianne before the final. They jumped on the social media bandwagon, participating in the well-known TikTok viral trend ‘we listen and we don’t judge’.

This latest craze involves individuals confessing something to a partner or friend, who listens without response.

In their TikTok clip, Dianne playfully accused Chris of being responsible for her breaking wind during rehearsals. Chris responded humorously during his turn: “Di, I can really see! ” His quip sent viewers into fits of laughter.

Lauren, a fellow finalist, couldnt contain her mirth online, commenting: “Hahahahaaahahaha @chrismccauslandcomedy GOLD! ! “.

And she wasn’t alone; the laughs kept coming as fans chimed in with their reactions. User @zxinxb638 exclaimed: “‘Di i can really see’. Omg i love chris sm [so much].”

@emmabusby1972 praised Chris’ comedic timing: “Chris that was ridiculously funny.”

The banter continued with @samigabriel23 adding: “Oh @chrismccauslandcomedy and @diannebuswell you two are the best! “.

Meanwhile, @erin. cherry123 saluted: “Chris…you legend.”

And @faizal_perager concurred: “@chrismccauslandcomedy and @diannebuswell are too funny! ”