Comedian Chris McCausland has said he is “feeling quite worn down” after winning Strictly Come Dancing which he described as “relentless”.
The 47-year-old said he had been eating what he wanted during his time on the show because he knew he was “burning more calories than what I’m consuming”.
McCausland became the first blind winner in the show’s 20-year history, after beating fellow finalists Miranda actress Sarah Hadland, Love Island star Tasha Ghouri and JLS singer JB Gill on Saturday night.
“It’s consuming, physically and mentally, it takes its toll.
“And this is what this show does, it wears you down physically and mentally, and then it pokes you with a stick until you cry in front of everybody.”
The Liverpool-born star continued: “It consumes you in terms of needing earlier bedtimes, in terms of your mind being exhausted when you’re at home and you’re constantly counting your steps around the house.”
McCausland continued: “You just eat what you want, because I know that I’m burning more calories than what I’m consuming, and I’ve eaten more chocolate this last three-and-a-half months now than I’d eat in 10 Christmases, and I’ve got to stop it.
“Because if I carry on eating the way I’ve been eating, I’ll have a burger for a Tuesday lunch, who has a burger for a Tuesday lunch? And if I carry on I’ll just explode.
“It’s a lifestyle that it’s got to change, because the dancing will not continue at that rate.”
McCausland said that during his time on the show, his 11-year-old daughter had been throwing things at the TV when judge Craig Revel Horwood appeared, even when he was complimenting her father.
“She threw things at the telly when Craig was on, she calls him a bum, even after the final, even after he gave us a 10 and said something nice, she couldn’t forgive the two eights, I love her.”
McCausland’s Strictly success came after a year of controversy for the BBC dancing show with some past contestants criticising the duty of care shown to them amid allegations of bullying during rehearsals.
A number of welfare measures – including chaperones in rehearsal rooms – have since been introduced.
