Strictly’s Dianne Buswell breaking ‘curse’ might have sealed Chris McCausland’s fate-Josie Copson-Entertainment – Metro

Dianne Buswell and Chris McCausland are early favourites (Picture: BBC/Guy Levy)

Dianne Buswell’s partnership with Chris McCausland has Strictly Come Dancing finalist potential, but there was a time when she was hindered by a ‘curse’.

For several years after joining the BBC cast in 2017, the 35-year-old simply couldn’t get past the fourth week of the competition – with the exception of when she was partnered with her now-boyfriend Joe Sugg in her second season.

No matter how talented her partner was, or how intricate the choreography was, the challenge was too tough.

It began with her first Strictly partner Reverend Richard Coles, now 62. The pair found themselves consistently at the bottom of the leaderboard, and so were cut from the competition in the second elimination.

The following year YouTube star Joe, 33, whisked her to the final… but it turned out to be an anomaly, as by 2019 she was back to enduring early exits.

While Richard’s low scores meant that his exit wasn’t too surprising, when radio presenter Dev Griffin left in week four, it was shocking due to his successful performances.

Just seven days before his elimination, the 39-year-old scored 36/40 for his street/commercial dance to Aladdin’s Friend Like Me in Movie Week. He may have been an early favourite, but the curse was too strong to fight.

Richard and Dianne left after three dances (Picture: PA)

Dianne was gutted after Dev was voted out (Picture: PA)

‘This boy has so much talent, I’m really sad he won’t be able to show you guys anymore of it,’ a gutted Dianne said after their elimination.

Saying goodbye before the competition heated up became an unfortunate pattern she desperately wanted to break in the following years.

After his Wanted bandmate Jay McGuiness, 34, won Strictly in 2015, it was predicted that Max George, 36, had the potential to do well. However, his boyband charm and musicality couldn’t take him past Dianne’s number one enemy – week four.

‘Dianne has been voted out too early two years running with good partners. Dev and Max were both good dancers with massive potential and should’ve had more time,’ one viewer fumed.

Max and Dianne couldn’t make it past week four (Picture: PA)

Next up was comedian Robert Webb, who was sitting comfortably in the middle of the leaderboard in the early weeks in 2021.

However, Robert, 52, had to withdraw from Strictly on doctor’s orders after experiencing ‘symptoms’ which required an ‘urgent consultation’ with a doctor.

Robert had previously undergone emergency surgery on his heart for a mitral valve prolapse which was discovered during a routine medical check.

Robert needed to withdraw (Pitcture: BBC/Guy Levy)

‘I’m proud of the three dances that Dianne Buswell and I managed to perform and deeply regret having to let her down like this. I couldn’t have wished for a more talented partner or more patient teacher, and it’s a measure of Dianne’s professionalism and kindness that I was able to get as far as I did,’ he said in a statement.

The situation wasn’t going unnoticed by Diane herself, who would often acknowledge her ‘four-week curse’.

One young fan sent her a drawing which alongside a picture of Dianne had the words ‘no more four-week curse’. Dianne chuckled at the statement in a short video, before declaring: ‘I absolutely love that.’

Tyler finally changed the narrative (Picture: BBC/Guy Levy)

Luckily the sentiment came true in 2022, with Tyler West able to change the narrative for her. His dance prowess managed to get them to the iconic Blackpool tower.

When they made it past the dreaded week four, presenter Claudia Winkleman, 52, joked that the last person who was able to get Dianne to week five now lives with her. Presenter Tyler, 28, responded that he would be packing his bags.

Dianne proved it wasn’t a fluke last year when she made it to the final with Bobby Brazier, 21. So undoubtedly, Chris will be hoping to follow in the EastEnders actor’s footsteps, and prove once and for all that the week-four jinx is over.

Chris and Dianne are in a strong position (Picture: BBC/Ray Burmiston)

This weekend will perhaps be a tad more nerve-wracking due to Dianne’s previous Strictly circumstances, but comedian Chris is in a very strong position. He has benefitted from Dianne’s years of experience and has become an early favourite.

Chris McCausland is odds-on at 10-11 with bookmaker Coral to win Strictly. ‘It is the first time in history a contestant has been odds-on to prevail this early in a series,’ shared Coral spokesperson John Hill.

In the most recent episode, Chris, 47, ‘stunned’ viewers with his lively Wayne’s World Jive for Movie Week. The dance brought the pair their highest score so far with an impressive 7, 7, 8, 8 for a total of 30 points. 

He is the first blind competitor on Strictly, and the series has now introduced audio description.

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 6.20pm on BBC One and iPlayer, with the results show on Sunday at 7.20pm.

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