Strictly closing stay: Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell win Glitterball Trophy in tear-jerking finale

Shirley Ballas, Strictly’s head judge, has congratulated Chris and Dianne after their win on Saturday night.

“I am in awe of you both and feel honoured that all our paths have crossed,” she said. “Judging you each week has been a privilege. Huge congratulations. What a final. X.”

In Strictly Come Dancing’s 20-year history, judge Craig Revel Horwood has developed a reputation for being the pantomime villain of the series – giving out harsh scores and even more scathing criticism.

However, it seems that this year’s winner, Chris, has been the person to finally break down the ruthless judge.

During last night’s final, Craig revealed that he had written “a little something” dedicated to Chris.

He began the poem: “In a world of darkness, you’ve learnt to dance and slay / With every step, you’ve found your way / You’ve taught the world anything can be done / As long as you don’t stick out your bum / No shoulders raised with swing and sway / With every heel lead, you discovered the day / A heart that dances, pure and free / Is worth much more than a 10 from me / And Chris, you’re a light that shines for all to see.”

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When Chris and Dianne were announced as the winners, he told host Tess Daly that he thought he would have been booted out of the competition in week one.

“We’ve lasted and lasted and Dianne has got so much out of me,” he said. “[Dianne] deserves this so much. Every day she’s just positivity and belief and she’s just one of the easiest people to be funny with than I’ve ever met.”

He then joked: “Unless she changes her number, she’s stuck with me.”

McCausland dedicated his win to anybody who “got told or thought that they couldn’t do something”.

“It shows that with opportunity, support and determination, that anything can happen,” he said.

Buswell said: “This is not for me, this is me and you, Chris. We did this together. This is for both of us, we worked together. And we did it!”

Viewers have been sharing their appreciation for the technicality and musicality in Chris’s performances on Saturday. There’s one particular moment that caught viewers’ attention when the pair reconnected during their final dance, a Waltz to “You’ll Never Walk Alone”.

Kevin Clifton, who was a pro on the series from 2013 to 2019 has said that this year’s final was another testament to Strictly’s staying power.

“Every year for about 13 years I’ve heard people say and read articles saying is done,” he wrote on X/Twitter. “And then every year they deliver magic. What a show. Well done everyone.”

Here’s what Strictly expert Rachel McGrath makes of the 2024 series…

Actor Ruth Jones made an appearance as her Gavin & Stacey character Nessa Jenkins, as she read out Strictly’s terms and conditions during Saturday night’s live show.

In true Nessa style, she firmly ordered Claudia Winkleman and the rest of the cast to be quiet and approved of the “tidy” network charges.

Amy Dowden should have been competing in Saturday night’s final, if it had not been for a shin fracture she sustained mid-competition.

Finalist JB Gill was formerly partnered with Dowden until she was forced to pull out of the competition after sustaining a stress fracture in her shin. She was advised by doctors to take several weeks off to recover, and therefore she was replaced by pro Oakley.

However, she surprised fans by making a small appearance in the final’s opening number.

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During Saturday night’s final, Anton Du Beke named Tasha Ghouri as the best dancer to ever compete in the show’s history. What an achievement.

While she may not have taken home the glitterball trophy – surely that’s the next best thing?

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Take a look back at Chris’s best moments before he was announced as the winner in tonight’s final.