STRICTLY Come Dancing’s Chris McCausland hit back at Lord Sugar after The Apprentice chief appeared to call his disability a “gimmick”.
The billionaire businessman tuned into last night’s results show but didn’t seem to be impressed with what he witnessed.
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Taking aim at his BBC stablemate, he wrote on X: “I don’t know when Strictly come dancing are going to run out of contestant gimmicks. I would not be surprised if they had a AI mechanical robot next year.”
Followers could only assume his reference was a cheap dig at the programme’s first blind contestant, comedian Chris.
The Liverpudlian comic seemed to think so, as he fired back: “I am sorry my gimmick offends you oh mighty Lord. #YoureTired.”
Viewers were behind Chris and rushed to criticise Sugar.
One posted: “What a nasty thing to say.”
Another said: “Gimmicks? Says the man who literally just points a finger. I hope Chris wins.”
A third fumed: “If you are referring to the show including people with disabilities, you are one disgusting being. The fact the show is increasing representation of our diverse society needs to be celebrated.”
A fourth advised: “Have you ever thought about, you know, not tweeting? ffs.”
Contestants with disabilities are celebrated on the show, and in 2021 former EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis became the first deaf person to win the Glitterball.
Her triumph proved inspirational, and this year Love Island’s Tasha Ghouri, who wears a cochlear implant, is hoping to replicate her success.
Nick Knowles becomes third celebrity to be eliminated from Strictly
This weekend Tasha and pro partner Aljz Skorjanec led the scoring with an incredible 39, while Chris and Dianne Buswell scored a respectable 30 that put them in seventh place.
It was Nick Knowles’ turn to bite the bullet after an injury-plagued time in the competition.
He lost out to Shayne Ward in the dance-off with the judges unanimously voting to save the actor.
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