More than eight million viewers watch Chris McCausland win Strictly Come Dancing

More than eight million viewers watched the 2024 final of Strictly Come Dancing live.

An average of 8.6 million people tuned in on Saturday between 6pm and 8.35pm to watch Chris McCausland become the first blind winner in the BBC One show’s 20-year history.

The BBC’s overnight viewing figures revealed a peak audience of 9.6 million people as the 47-year-old comedian and his professional dance partner Dianne Buswell lifted the glitterball trophy.

It marks a small change, compared with last year when Coronation Street star Ellie Leach won the final with Italian dancer Vito Coppola, which had an average of 8.8 million viewers for the live show, with a peak audience of 9.7 million.

Full viewing figures, including playback on BBC iPlayer, will be revealed next year.

McCausland, who was tearful following his final dance of the series, was praised by judge Motsi Mabuse for not just being an inspiration for the blind community, but “a role model for each and every one of us”, while her fellow judge Craig Revel Horwood described the winner as a “light that shines for all to see”.

McCausland dedicated his trophy to Buswell and “for everyone out there that thought and got told they couldn’t do something”.

He added: “It just shows with opportunity and support and determination, anything can happen.”

The Liverpool-born star lost his sight completely by the age of 22 due to retinitis pigmentosa – a hereditary eye disease which causes gradual degeneration of the retina.

It was the first win for Australian-born dancer Buswell, 35, who reached Strictly finals with social media star Joe Sugg in 2018 and the Eastenders actor and model Bobby Brazier in 2023.

The success of the final came after a year of controversy for Strictly with some past contestants criticising the duty of care shown to then amid allegations of bullying during rehearsals.

A number of welfare measures – including chaperones in rehearsal rooms – have since been introduced.