Chris McCausland’s parents will not be there to see him in tonight’s Strictly Come Dancing final because his mother has the flu, MailOnline can reveal.
The blind comedian, 47, who is Strictly’s first blind contestant, is the hot favorite to win the hit BBC1 dance show.
But the CBeebies star won’t be getting live support from her parents as she attempts to lift the Glitterball trophy.
The comedian’s father, John, 71, revealed that they will not be able to travel because his wife Valerie, 69, is ill.
Speaking at the family’s terraced house in Liverpool, he said: “We are very proud of him, he has done very well.”
“Unfortunately, the wife is in bed with the flu, so we can’t go down to see him.”
When asked if his son was going to win, John added: “You never know.”
Last Saturday, Chris and partner Dianne Buswell scored 36 out of 40 for their Viennese waltz to Metallica’s Nothing Else Matters.
Chris McCausland’s parents will not be in the Strictly Come Dancing final because they have contracted the flu
The blind comedian’s father, John, revealed they will not be there to support his son in his bid for the glitter ball as his wife Valerie (pictured) is unwell.
The dance favorite broke down in tears during Sunday night’s results show when he discovered he had made it through to the 2024 final.
Speaking to host Claudia Winkleman on Sunday, he admitted: “It’s been emotional,” before thanking viewers and those who voted for him for “joining in on what we’ve been doing.”
‘It’s been difficult, it’s been the scariest thing I’ve ever done. It’s been a disaster and I can barely talk.
His dance partner Dianne, 35, said his emotions were genuine.
She said: “It’s hard to figure this guy out, he hides a lot behind his comedy.”
The pair will perform a waltz to Liverpool anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone, which they did earlier in the series.
Chris will compete against other celebrities including JB Gill, Sarah Hadland and Tasha Ghouri in Saturday’s grand final.
He turned to comedy after losing his sight 20 years ago, which forced him to quit his job as a web developer.
Last Saturday, Chris and partner Dianne Buswell scored 36 out of 40 for their Viennese waltz to Metallica’s Nothing Else Matters.
This week, the dance duo will perform the waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone, a routine they had done earlier in the series.
The comedian’s grandmother and mother (pictured) also suffered from the hereditary disease retinitis pigmentosa, which causes the tearing and loss of the retina.
Alongside the comedian, Love Island star Tasha Ghouri heads to the final with her dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec.
JB Gill of JLS will also try to take first place and take home the Glitterball trophy.
But BAFTA-nominated comedy actress Sarah Hadland will also compete with her fellow finalists when they take to the dance floor for that all-important final.
After growing up in Liverpool, his eyesight began to fail between the ages of 16 and 21 due to retinitis pigmentosa (RP).
In an interview with TelegraphThe comedian shared that both his mother and grandmother also suffered from the disease.
He said: ‘Basically I had been going blind very slowly since I was born and I didn’t even realize it was happening. Like the frog in the pot of boiling water.
RP is a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and loss of cells in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue that lines the back of the eye.
The NHS website explains that people with RP lose vision as light-sensitive cells in the retina gradually deteriorate.
However, the comedian enjoyed success with his role in the cBeebies series Me Too, but has also become a fixture on the comedy scene.
After trying his hand at comedy during a New Artists Comedy Night in 2003, Chris was soon recognized for his comedy after winning the Jongleurs J2O Last Laugh competition, before gaining recognition in other competitions.
She then spent seven years at the Edinburgh Fringe and appeared on Live At The Apollo in 2018, before going on to make various television appearances.
Chris appeared on the BBC show Have I got News for You and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown on Channel 4.