Strictly Blackout dancer 'an amazing role model'

Chris McCausland has been described as an "amazing role model" for blind people after he wowed Strictly Come Dancing judges with his new "blackout" routine.

The Liverpool comedian, who lost his sight to retinitis pigmentosa in his 20s and 30s, is the BBC dancing competition's first blind contestant.

In Saturday's show on BBC One, McCausland and his professional dancer partner Dianne Buswell performed in complete darkness as a way of highlighting the everyday challenges faced by blind and visually impaired people.

Fellow Liverpudlian Dave Kelly, who also lost his sight to retinitis pigmentosa, praised McCausland for inspiring others.

Mr Kelly is chief executive of Everton-based charity Daisy UK, which helps disabled people and their families reach their full potential.

He said the Strictly "blackout" routine sent a hugely positive message.

"You need people like this who are in the public eye to go out there and show people it can be done," he said.

"People assume we can't do anything but there's nothing Chris can't do, or me.

"He is a positive role model, there's someone to look up to and tell the kids, you know, you can do anything.

"You just need that help and support but you've got to believe".

According to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the name given to a group of inherited eye conditions called retinal dystrophies.

A retinal dystrophy such as RP affects the retina at the back of the eye and, over time, stops it from working.

This means that RP causes gradual but permanent sight loss.

BBC journalist Salim Patel, who also lost his sight to RP, said McCausland was "proving to the world that blindness is no barrier".

"With the right attitude and with people around you who share that same positive mindset, anything is possible," he said.

"I hope people acknowledge what Chris has done and see it as a moment to never stereotype a blind person.

"We shouldn’t only just see Chris as 'that blind dancer'.

"He’s an excellent dancer that just so happens to be blind."

McCausland previously turned the BBC show down, but has been one of the stars of this year's series.

Rashmi Becker, who founded Step Change Studios to improve dance accessibility, with her blind and partially sighted-students recently taking part in a dance competition in Blackpool, said McCausland is "challenging many perceptions".

Ms Becker, who is a guardian for her older brother who has sight loss and autism, hopes society gets to a stage where "it isn't so remarkable to see blind people doing the things that people do, like dancing, and enjoying the things that the rest of us can".

Debbie Miller, of the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), said the blackout moment was "incredibly moving".

"It helped draw people’s attention to what it can be like to not be able to see, and underlined what Chris has said about the need to go beyond our comfort zones and see what we can achieve," she said.

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