Strictly's Chris McCausland delivers Channel 4's Alternative Christmas Message, urging end to disability discrimination
McCausland recently won this year's Strictly Come Dancing.
Channel 4 has broadcast its Alternative Christmas Message for the last 30 years, and this time is no different, often offering an alternative to the traditional King's (formerly Queen's) Speech.
Previous years have seen the likes of John Bercow, a robot and, more recently, Stephen Fry deliver the message to audiences.
This year, that message will be delivered by a familiar face to the nation, with Chris McCausland, who was recently on screens on Strictly Come Dancing, which he won alongside Dianne Buswell, taking the microphone.
Read on for everything you need to know about this year's Alternative Christmas Message and who will be delivering it.
Who is delivering the Alternative Christmas Message 2024?
Chris McCausland will be delivering the Alternative Christmas Message this year.
In his message, McCausland will personally urge employers to tackle discrimination of disabled people and for improvements to be made to the government-backed grant Access to Work, which covers access costs for disabled people in employment.
Having lost his eyesight in his 20s, McCausland points out that 75 per cent of blind and partially sighted people of working age are without employment, three times the national average.
After spending the last 13 weeks on Strictly, McCausland reflects on how disabled people are underestimated.
"Disabled people are often some of the most resilient, creative and determined people you will ever likely meet," he says.
"We have to be in daily life, and that makes us valuable people to have on the team. We can even win national dance competitions, just saying!"
In his message, McCausland asks if more can be done to address the delays that disabled people can face when using Access to Work.
He fears that these delays to workplace adjustments can prevent employers from seeking to employ disabled people in the first place, even though they are qualified and able to work.
In his speech, McCausland continues: "Disability is everywhere. It's just something that happens. It could happen to friends, family, loved ones. It could happen to you.
"I mean, after all, you know what us disabled people say: There are only really two types of people in this world – those of us that are disabled, and those of us that aren't disabled... yet.
"So let me raise a toast and say, you know, do unto others as you would want done unto yourself under similar circumstances, or something like that, and treat everyone equally, the way I do my minced pies."
How can I watch the Alternative Christmas Message 2024?
The Alternative Christmas Message will be broadcast at 4:50pm on Christmas Day (Wednesday 25th December) on Channel 4.
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Authors
Katelyn Mensah is the Entertainment and Factual Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.
