Comedian McCausland is tipped to be Strictly’s first blind winner

After weeks of intense competition, the Strictly Come Dancing finalists are set to take to the dance floor for the last time.

Four celebrities are vying for the Glitterball trophy in the show’s 20th anniversary year: Chris McCausland, JB Gill, Sarah Headland and Tasha Gowrie.

Comedian McCausland, who is Strictly’s first blind contestant, has emerged as the bookies’ favorite to win after impressing both viewers and judges.

The grand final will be broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer from 18:00 GMT on Saturday.

at the beginning of the series There were 15 couples there. The remaining four are:

• Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell
• JB Gill and Amy Dowden
• sarah hadland and vito coppola
• Tasha Gauri and Aljaz Skorzenek

The finalists will perform three times each in front of a live audience and Strictly judges before the public votes for the winner.

Other highlights of the show will include professional dancers joining singer Ray for a performance, and the entire 2024 team returning to the dance floor for one last routine.

Before the final, McCausland said that training had been “relentless”, but that he also found he had “more resilience and determination than he knew”.

He said, “It’s been exhausting, and it’s the scariest thing I’ve ever done, but I think it’s definitely the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.”

“And that’s probably the thing that’s going to have the most lasting impact on me in terms of my outlook on the world and life and the opportunities that I actually have.”

The 47-year-old and professional partner Buswell will perform routines at the Grand Final, including his waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone by Gerry and the Pacemakers.

The pair will also repeat their couple’s choice routine to John Lennon’s Instant Karma, which they first performed last month.

during the dance, which went viral on social mediaAs the room went black, the comedian placed his hands over Buswell’s eyes. After a while the lights came back up to show Buswell twirling on his shoulders as fireworks flashed in the background.

The pair received 33 out of a possible 40 from the judges, with Craig Revel Horwood describing the “poignant blackout moment” as “absolutely brilliant”.

McCausland was registered blind after losing his vision due to retinitis pigmentosa in his 20s and 30s.

She revealed her 11-year-old daughter was initially “nervous” when she started Strictly, fearing she might fall and “embarrass” herself.

But now, she is supporting him to win, she said.

“She used to say every Saturday, ‘Dad, it’s okay if you go out because I think you’ve already won’,” he said.

“And then when we got to the semi-finals she said, ‘Dad, do you know when I said it didn’t matter? I’ve changed my mind. I think you can win this thing.’ ‘

Gill makes it to the final, but her original dance partner, Amy Dowden, was forced to withdraw from the series After suffering a leg injury last month.

The professional posted on Instagram in November that she was sad she could no longer continue.

It happened shortly after the Caerphilly-born dancer finished chemotherapy.

Dowden later clarified His injury is not related to previous health problems, he said he needs rest but is hopeful of a comeback.

Fellow pro Lauren Oakley replaced her, pairing with the JLS singer.

The pair would perform routines including a show dance to a Motown medley and a Viennese waltz to Mary Poppins’ Let’s Go Fly a Kite.

Gill said it was an “honor” to partner with Dowden, and also praised her new dance partner.

“It’s an incredible feeling,” Gill said. “To get this far, to be here with Lauren, it’s amazing.”

As part of a highly successful band, Gill came to the show with little previous dance experience.

And, despite changing partners, he has consistently scored high on the leaderboard and reached the finals in the top position.

But he said he’s still challenged every week and learns new things.

“You have good weeks and you have bad weeks,” he said. “Yes, the move is one thing, but really it’s about feeling it and enjoying it.”

Professional dancer Vito Coppola won the competition last year with Coronation Street actress Ellie Leech.

He will be looking to repeat that success with Miranda actress Hedland on Saturday Night.

Hadland, 53, has won praise during the series for her strong messages about women believing in themselves.

In video footage before her routine last month, she said she had received many messages from women her age who had given up dancing.

“Other people aren’t telling me what I can and can’t do. I’m telling,” she told the camera.

There was a huge reaction to this online.

One

Another wrote: “Sarah Hadland melts my heart, I love her so much.”

On Saturday, the pair will perform a routine including Cha Cha Like a Prayer by Madonna and American Smooth to Proud by Heather Small.

Speaking before the final, Hadland said that she went into the competition thinking she was “a very confident person” and someone who knows what she is capable of.

But over the course of the series, she realizes that she imposes limitations on herself.

“Now I realize it, you don’t know it’s happened to you, and then you say, ‘Oh, how much have I been doing this in other parts of my life?'” she said.

“For no reason should you ever get to a point in your life where you say, ‘That’s me, that’s my limit.’ You shouldn’t do that, because you’re blocking all these possibilities.”

Former Love Island star Gauri, 26, and dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec will also enter the final in a strong position.

The pair were the first pair to get a score of 10 and a perfect 40 in the series, with their brilliant American Smooth to Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi.

During Saturday’s finals, they will repeat that routine, as well as perform a new show dance to Sing, Sing, Sing by Benny Goodman.

Gauri is the second deaf contestant on StrictlyThree years after Rose Ayling-Ellis won the contest.

Speaking before the final, Gauri said that her time on Strictly had been “an absolute dream, especially having my cochlear implants shining”.

She said the show’s costume team was adding diamonds to the implants every week, so it would match her costume.

“The number of messages I’ve received – especially from young women, young children, teenagers – who have said, ‘I felt represented because I’ve seen you on TV, I’ve started decorating myself too’, and that’s Its strength is representation, it’s very important to have that,” she said.

Model, author and podcaster from North Yorkshire clearly became emotional On the show last month he opened up about the negative reaction he has previously experienced online due to his disability.

But reflecting on her experience of being on Strictly, Gauri described it as “magical” and “crazy”.

“I feel like it’s been a special year to be a part of and it’s very important to represent and I feel very passionate about it.”