His tango has had a lasting impact…

Strictly spin-off It Takes Two returned to BBC Two tonight (November 7), with Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell joining host Janette Manrara.

Speaking about his place at the bottom of the leaderboard last Saturday night (November 2), Chris at first joked and offered Janette a “saucer of milk” for bringing up the judges’ scores.

He then explained his downbeat demeanour following the dance.

Chris McCausland addressed his downcast demeanour following the tango (Credit: BBC)

Strictly news: Chris McCausland on his tango

“I’ve got no idea whether what I do is good or not – I have to be told,” said Chris. “We did the samba the week before, we were bottom, that was hard, it was technical,” he said, adding: The tango, I think I carried a lot of pressure over.

“Those first five shows that we did, there was a lot of joy in them. There were a lot of wow moments where we surprised people. We surprised ourselves.

“The tango, you can’t even smile in it, you’ve got to look like you’d rather be doing anything but the tango. Joint second from bottom, the competition’s hard,” he said. “I’m just a fella who sits on a stool for a living.”

‘So deflated’

Janette then asked Strictly Come Dancing pro Dianne: “Dianne, how do you pick him up when he feels so deflated?”

She replied: “I just tell him how much he has improved from the start.

“People were probably more impressed from the beginning. But I can tell everyone his technique and what we’re doing in the dances has increased and it’s increased dramatically.

“I’ve made the routines so much harder.”

Dianne said that she tells Chris how much he’s improving every single day (Credit: BBC)

‘We are challenged every single day in rehearsal’

She then commented: “I look back at the launch show, his first dance, his second dance and he has improved so so much. I keep telling him that.

“I know the competition is getting tough and Chris has never danced before. And obviously we do have difficulties. And there are things that we are challenged with every single day in rehearsal.

“So what he’s doing every single day is absolutely incredible and I need to say that to him every single day because he’s so tough on himself.”

Chris McCausland on his next Strictly dance

Chris then looked ahead to his Couple’s Choice routine this coming weekend. And he told Janette that it’s set to be an uplifting, positive routine.

It’s a good positive message that everyone can shine as much as each other.

“What I’m trying to do on Strictly is represent and surprise people and show that everyone can have their moment. And maybe just do something that strikes fear into you,” he said.

Concluding, Chris then added: “I thought I’d go out in two weeks but I’m still here. It’s a good positive message that everyone can shine as much as each other.”