Chris McCausland Opens Up About Heartbreaking Struggle with Daughter Sophie
Comedian Chris McCausland, 47, has captured the hearts of Strictly Come Dancing fans with his quick wit and impressive routines alongside professional dance partner Dianne Buswell. But beyond the glitz and glamour of the ballroom, Chris is a devoted father to 11-year-old Sophie, whom he keeps out of the public eye.
In his column for The Telegraph, Chris shared a glimpse into his family life and how he juggles parenthood with his demanding Strictly training schedule. Reflecting on Sundays with his daughter, he wrote: “I try to remain on the couch as much as possible on a Sunday and entice my daughter into a game of Uno so that I can teach her about handling defeats early in life.”
Chris humorously added, “Trying to get an 11-year-old off an iPad is like trying to persuade somebody that they should give up a chocolate gateau so that they can lick a tomato instead. It’s often a lost cause, and I’m the one wallowing in defeat.”
Though Chris keeps Sophie away from the spotlight, he occasionally shares endearing snippets of their life together. In a 2020 television appearance, Chris was seen sitting at the dining table with Sophie, who was joking around and making a playful screaming face at her dad.
Chris has been open about his concerns leading up to his Strictly journey, especially as he navigates life with retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that has left him visually impaired. Despite his initial apprehension, his daughter’s dry humor helped put things into perspective. Writing about her reaction to his Strictly debut, he revealed: “I showed my 10-year-old daughter a clip of the show and asked her if I should do it. ‘No, Daddy,’ she said. ‘You’ll fall off the stage and break your leg.'”
In an interview with Gyles Brandreth, Chris candidly discussed the fears he faced when deciding to become a father. “I was in such a dilemma about it because I knew I would regret not having kids, but the thought of having kids terrified me,” he admitted. “You go, ‘How am I going to be able to do those things? I’m not going to be a proper dad, I’m going to be a half dad.’ That kind of really caused me a lot of torment in my head.” Despite his initial fears, Chris has embraced fatherhood with humor and love, earning admiration from fans as he continues to shine on Strictly while cherishing his role as a dad.