Tess Daly faces backlash for saying blind contestant can see happiness

Strictly Come Dancing aired its semi-final in early December 2024, generating significant controversy among viewers. In particular, head judge Shirley Ballas faced criticism for her remarks directed at contestant Pete Wicks, a former TOWIE star. Despite Wicks' perceived lack of technical skill compared to other dancers, Ballas awarded him a high score and referred to him as 'Mr Strictly Come Dancing'. Fans expressed their outrage on social media, arguing that other contestants with better skills, like Montell Douglas and Tasha Ghouri, were treated unfairly in comparison. As the show progressed, emotions ran high when professional dancer Dianne Buswell defended comedian Chris McCausland, who is blind, against claims that his blindness unfairly contributed to his continued presence in the competition. Buswell emphasized McCausland's hard work and his journey to improve despite his challenges. Meanwhile, the show's host, Tess Daly, inadvertently sparked another wave of criticism with a comment suggesting McCausland could 'see' how happy his dance partner was, leading viewers to call the remark embarrassing and inappropriate. Throughout the episode, fans took to social media to voice their concerns regarding what they deemed 'bias' on the part of the judges, particularly targeting Ballas for the favorable treatment towards Wicks. The controversy dominated the online discussions, highlighting the emotional investment of audiences in the competition as they lamented on disparities in judging and how contestants were treated on the show. The culmination of events from the semi-final reflects the dramatic and competitive nature of the show, further intensifying discussions surrounding fairness and the criteria for judging. This incident not only sparked conversations about meritocracy in competitive environments but also brought attention to sensitive issues surrounding disabilities and public perceptions thereof.