Comedian Chris McCausland is the first celebrity contestant confirmed for the next series of Strictly Come Dancing.
“I don’t dance, I haven’t danced, I can’t dance, I can’t see the dancing I will have to do. What can possibly go wrong?,” joked the Liverpudlian, who lost his sight in his 20s.
Strictly is due to return on BBC One this autumn.
The show has been rocked by celebrities making allegations about their time on the show in recent weeks.
McClausland is a regular face on flagship comedy shows such as Have I Got News for You and QI.
Speaking to ITV’s This Morning on Monday, he said his participation in Strictly was the “worst kept secret” in showbusiness following weeks of newspaper reports.
The remaining celebrity contestants joining the new series will be announced in due course.
Strictly has been at the centre of controversy as claims have emerged about the treatment of some of the celebrities on the show.
The actress Amanda Abbington, who was paired with Giovanni Pernice, has said she found his alleged behaviour “unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean”.
Pernice’s spokesperson has previously denied any allegations of threatening or abusive behaviour. He will not be returning for the show’s series this year.
TV star Zara McDermott has said she was involved in incidents in the Strictly Come Dancing training room that she now finds “incredibly distressing” to watch back,
A spokesman for her professional dancer, Graziano Di Prima, later admitted to BBC News that he had kicked McDermott once in a rehearsal last year.
Di Prima has also left the show.
The BBC has said it will introduce measures to “strengthen welfare and support” on the show, including a chaperone who will be present “at all times” during training room rehearsals.
