Episode

Chris McCausland: Why disability does not define me

Podcast
Ways to Change the World with Krishnan Guru-Murthy
Published
Dec 19, 2025
Duration seconds
2576
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Canonical source
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/waystochangetheworld/episodes/Chris-McCausland-Why-disability-does-not-define-me-e3chncd
Audio
https://anchor.fm/s/1057629b4/podcast/play/112827213/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2025-11-18%2F414632597-44100-2-8b955f7c31721.mp3
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Markdown
/podcast/ways-to-change-the-world-with-krishnan-guru-murthy-730381/chris-mccausland-why-disability-does-not-define-me.md

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Summary

Chris McCausland is perhaps now best known as the first blind contestant on Strictly Come Dancing and the show's 2024 champion. His famous waltz with dancer Diane Buswell even won a Bafta as the most memorable moment in TV. He first started losing sight as a young boy due to a genetic condition, and was fully blind in his early twenties. But he has never let disability define him. In his latest autobiography, Keep Laughing, Chris details the journey of a boy from Liverpool who goes on to win the hearts of the nation. On this episode of Ways to Change the World, he talks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about why it was important for him to take part in Strictly Come Dancing, the frustrations and identity challenges he faced as he grappled with losing sight, and how he continues to challenge perceptions.