Chris McCausland has won Strictly Come Dancing 2024, in a display of joy and positivity that put the allegations of bullying that have dogged the show firmly to bed.

The comedian – the show’s first blind contestant – and dance partner Dianne Buswell lifted the Glitterball trophy after winning the viewers’ vote.

Speaking on his win, Chris said: ‘It’s astonishing, 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 thought I still could.’

Chris and Dianne performed three dances in the final, seen by 9.6 million viewers, securing the highest audience for a Strictly final, ever. They triumphed over fellow finalists Tasha Ghouri, JB Gill and Sarah Hadland.

For their final dance, they waltzed to You’ll Never Walk Alone by Gerry and the Pacemakers, the anthem of Liverpool FC – and closed the competition by scoring their only perfect 40 from the judges.

Afterwards, judge Motsi Mabuse said: ‘I’m not the only one crying now, you’re a role model for all of us, not just the blind community, showing us everything is possible if you keep pushing.’

Anton Du Beke said McCausland was ‘an exceptional man and changing people’s lives’, while Craig Revel Horwood wrote him a poem that began ‘in a world of darkness you’ve learned to dance and slay’, and referring him to a ‘light that shines for all to see’. Even though he lived up to his reputation as the harshest judge over the course of the series, he came out from behind the desk to give both dancers a cuddle.

Earlier, following the couple’s showdance to New Radicals’ You Get What You Give, head judge Shirley Ballas said: ‘Things don’t need to be perfect to be special, you’ve broken new ground across the whole series, confident and intricate, I applaud you both.’