Strictly Come Dancing viewers were left in tears after witnessing an emotional moment almost missed on camera following the announcement of the show’s winners.

Comedian Chris McCausland and professional dancer Dianne Buswell took home the esteemed Glitterball trophy as the overall champions in the final of the BBC One dance competition. The win came after a public vote commemorating the show’s 20-year milestone on television.

After months of captivating performances, Chris earned praise for his three exceptional routines, including the couple’s choice of favourite dance, their final show dance, and the routine most admired by the judges. Despite being at the bottom of the leaderboard, the duo emerged victorious.

Chris, who made history as Strictly’s first blind champion, alongside Dianne, triumphed over Miranda actress Sarah Hadland and partner Vito Coppola, Love Island’s Tasha Ghouri and partner Aljaz Skorjanec, and JLS singer JB Gill and partner Lauren Oakley to claim the 2024 championship title.

Are you happy that Chris McCausland won Strictly? Vote in our poll HERE to have your say.

When Tess Daly declared them the winners of the BBC One dance contest, Chris described the victory as “astonishing”. He became tearful and hugged his partner Dianne, as both appeared overwhelmed with emotion, reports the Manchester Evening News.

The 47 year old expressed his shock, saying: “It’s astonishing. It’s you know. I don’t know what to say. I honestly thought I could go out in the first week or two and I know no-one went out in the first week but I still thought I could.”

Chris shared an inspiring message saying “anything can happen” given the right “support and determination” after making history as Strictly’s first blind champion. Heaped with gratitude for his dance partner, he declared: “She deserves this so much. She’s just honestly one of the easiest people to be funny with the other and unless she changes her number, she’s stuck with me.”

Dianne’s parents Mark and Rina flew over from Australia to watch the final ( Image: BBC)

Yet, amid their celebration, attention shifted when Dianne’s parents Mark and Rina, who flew in from Australia for the festivities to spend Christmas with their daughter, witnessed her dance in the hallowed Strictly ballroom for the first time.

Social media lit up with emotion, with @BailzSmallwood tweeting: “I’m actually bawling over dianne’s parents getting to see her win for the first time, dianne the mother you are #strictly.”

@thatsmypeachx penned: “Chris and Dianne were trying to stay in long enough for her parents to fly over from Australia and watch her perform live, instead her parents got to watch them live for many weeks and they got to see their little girl win the glitterball trophy #Strictly #StrictlyFinal.”

Further tweets surfaced, displaying heartfelt reactions: @chloerichx wrote: “Also, I love how Katya and Gorka went to get Dianne’s parents out of the audience #Strictly.”

and @lucy_tanton captured the sentiment by posting: “Seeing Dianne’s parents balling their eyes out and going to hug anyone who they could because they were so proud and overcome with emotion got me in the feels#strictly.”

@scdkatdijowita shared a touching observation: “I just noticed Katya and Gorka bringing on Dianne’s parents at the end in the final shot #Strictly.”

Meanwhile, @strictlylmx added an emotional note: “The fact that she’s waited this long for her parents to come over and watch her dance only for her to lift the glitterball with them, her boyfriend that she met on strictly and her future mother in law in the audience to see it all happen. incredible. #Strictly.”