Strictly Come Dancing star Chris McCausland's 'really difficult' health struggle has been revealed by one of his pals. The comedian became the reality show's first blind contestant this year after contracting the degenerative eye condition retinitis pigmentosa.
The 47-year-old was completely blind by the age of 22 with lifelong pal Kev Matthews - who is also blind - sharing how 'difficult' it was to experience his friend going through that.
He told a BBC Sounds profile: "It was a difficult thing as a friend to see him going through. I lived with him at the time he was losing his sight along with Neil (their friend Neil Churchill). "We found it really difficult to know how to support him in the right way.
But the way he came out of it was just incredible." Chris, who is dancing with professional dancer Dianne Buswell on the BBC show, is one of the favourite's to win this year's edition with the bookmakers odds tipping him to take home the coveted glitterball.