Dianne Buswell’s former Strictly Come Dancing partner Chris McCausland was “a bit gutted” by a decision relating to Joe Sugg. The 36-year-old Australian dancer recently took a trip down memory lane as she shared her highlights from her nine years on Strictly.
In that time Dianne has reached the final twice, with Bobby Brazier in 2023 and Joe in 2018. She went one step further in 2024 when she lifted the famous Glitterball Trophy with comedian Chris.
Their Waltz to Liverpool anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone even won the BAFTA for Most Memorable Moment. She described dancing with the 48-year-old as a dream come true.
However Chris, who was the show’s first blind contestant, missed out on the top billing of Dianne’s best bits. Instead the video tape, filmed for companion show It Takes Two, finished on a segment about Dianne’s partner Joe.
The couple announced their relationship while filming the 2018 series of the show. In September they announced they were expecting their first child.
Asked about the It Takes Two segment by Chris on their Winning Isn’t Everything podcast, Dianne said: “I did a little VT a few weeks back and spoke about all my Strictly contestants, past and present, the good ones made it in the cut. But yeah, it was a little VT and you’re a bit gutted aren’t you?”
Chris replied: “I opened Instagram and you were there on the front page, and I clicked on it and I watched a video and thought, ‘Oh I’m going to leave a comment’, a little cheeky comment, so I left a little cheeky comment saying, what did it say Di?”
Dianne initially thought Chris said he was “upset” at being put before Joe on the tape. The comedian explained: “I said ‘I can’t believe I didn’t get top billing’ because it goes from talking about the Rev on your first one to Bobby Brazier, talking about what we did, and what we did has basically amounted to 100% of your Instagram biography and then it goes to talk about Joe. What’s he done apart from getting you pregnant?”
Chris went on to joke it was the “easiest job in the world”. Dianne went on to explain that producers on It Takes Two “wanted to end with Joe”.
In the video Dianne called Chris “my champion” and reminisced about their time together. She said: “The waltz is one dance that will always have a special place in my heart.
“He closed his eyes, I remember going ‘He is loving this’. It was so powerful, it gives me goosebumps. And then it was the moment where I left him to walk alone, and I pull back from him, but I watched him the whole time.
“The vulnerability on his face. He went from vulnerable to I feel safe again. So beautiful, so emotive. I think we just cuddled each other and cried in each other’s arms.”
Dianne went on to say Strictly has “changed my life in more ways than one” after meeting Joe on the show. “It’s mind-blowing how much has happened in nine years, but I’m very grateful for Strictly,” she added.