HE may have taken a foot to the face during practice, but Strictly Come Dancing 2024's Chris McCausland has pulled off an impressive first dance on this evening's show.

The comedian, a former student at Hereford's Royal National College for the Blind, impressed alongside partner Dianne Buswell as they danced the Cha Cha Cha to the Beatles' Twist and Shout.

(Image: BBC)

Having previously told host Claudia Winkleman that he did not think he was allowed to say how his nerves were pre-watershed and that he had his waterproof underwear on, McCausland put on an incredible performance.

Revealing a little about their practice over the last two weeks, Strictly professional Dianne Buswell said she commended her partner for his hard work.

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Their dance may have impressed the audience, with the pair receiving a standing ovation, but judge Craig Revel Horwood was not so easily pleased, criticising McCausland for his shoulder placement and for picking up his feet too much.

But the other three judges, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and Shirley Ballas all praised McCausland for his performance.

Ballas said the dance was "fabulous", while Du Beke went all out, branding the performance "the most extraordinary thing I have seen in my whole life".

"It was brilliant," he said.

McCausland and Buswell received scores of six from judges Ballas and Motsi, a seven from Du Beke, and a four from Revel Horwood.

The 47-year-old comedian, originally from Liverpool, lost his eyesight in his early 20s as a result of retinitis pigmentosa, a hereditary condition. This diagnosis prompted a career change from his previous job in web development to become a comedian.

McCausland studied at the Hereford specialist college and even returned in 2022 to mark its 105th anniversary with a show at the Courtyard in Hereford.

He is known to television audiences for his role as Rudi in the CBeebies show Me Too, and regularly appears at comedy venues around the UK, including the Comedy Store.