Chris McCausland made history last year when he became the first blind celebrity to take part in Strictly and won the show, yet viewers were left unimpressed by The Big Fat Quiz Of The Year
Big Fat Quiz of the Year made a splash as we bid farewell to 2024, but some fans felt that accessibility fell short for guest Chris McCausland. Channel 4’s star-studded panel show, which quizzes celebs on the year’s happenings, witnessed comedian Chris bask in his Strictly Come Dancing triumph – the first blind contestant to ever take the dance floor by storm on the BBC show.
However, during Big Fat Quiz of the Year, concerns were raised by viewers who sensed an inequality in the setup for Chris, who joined forces with comedian Maisie Adams. The dynamic duos – including Richard Ayoade and Katherine Ryan, Rob Beckett and Judi Love – faced the wit of host Jimmy Carr as they navigated through a series of visual questions.
While Maisie assisted by describing the unseen images to Chris, fans and Jimmy himself recognised the disadvantage, with Jimmy saying: “We are about to have what I can only describe as a very insensitive round Chris…it’s time for Say What You See.” Rob Beckett even added his comedic touch, joking: “Just write nothing and you’ll get points.”
Nevertheless, thanks to Maisie acting as “his eyes”, Chris clinched the first correct guess in the picture round. While Chris remained mum about the hiccup, viewers didn’t hold back their opinions online, reports the Mirror.
One viewer expressed their discomfort: “The further into the Big Fat Quiz of the Year it gets the more glaringly obvious it is that there have been zero adaptations for Chris and it’s just getting more and more uncomfortable.”
Another chimed in with criticism about the show’s inclusivity: “Big Fat Quiz of the Year showing itself up by inviting Chris McCausland on as a panellist then not giving him a proper audio description or adjusting the quiz itself to be inclusive… clearly showing the difference between diversity and inclusion at least.”
A third person pointed out the accessibility issues: “Anyone else watching Big Fat Quiz and wondering why it’s so inaccessible for Chris? They could’ve made very minor changes to the format (like less picture questions) and it wouldn’t even be noticeable – it’s more noticeable that he’s struggling to take part tbh.”
Meanwhile, a fourth commenter highlighted the isolation felt by disabled individuals: “Chris is demonstrating how isolating it can be when you are a disabled person in a group of not yet disabled people. Like being hearing impaired in a large group, he’s getting somewhat left out because he can’t see the visual cues.”
Despite the challenges, Chris and Maisie ended the quiz with 40 points, while Rob and Judi took the crown with 45 points. In a recent appearance on Channel 4, Chris delivered a powerful speech advocating for an end to discrimination against disabled people, as part of the channel’s Alternative Christmas Message.
The show, which was broadcast on Christmas Day as an alternative to the traditional Royal address, featured Chris referencing his Strictly Come Dancing victory and highlighting the strengths of disabled individuals. He stated that they are “often some of the most resilient, creative and determined people you will ever likely meet”, adding: “We have to be in daily life and that makes us valuable people to have on the team. We can even win national dance competitions, just saying.”