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Eye on the Horizon
From Code to Comedy: Strictly Unstoppable
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In this episode, podcast host Peter Cackett (Consultant Ophthalmologist, NHS Lothian) and guest speaker Chris McCausland (comedian and actor) discuss Chris’s career as a comedian and his personal journey coming to terms with his retinitis pigmentosa diagnosis.
This episode delves into the challenges Chris encountered while building a successful career in comedy alongside progressive vision loss, the role of technology in supporting people with visual impairment, and his advice for both aspiring comedians and individuals adjusting to sight deterioration.
Chris originally studied and qualified as a software engineer; however, as his vision deteriorated, he made the decision to leave the tech industry and pursue a career in stand-up comedy in 2003. Since then, the British comedian has become well known on the comedy circuit and a stalwart in television panel shows following his breakthrough performance on Live at the Apollo in 2018. More recently, he won the most recent series of BBC’s family favourite, Strictly Come Dancing, in December 2024, and he's on a roll because his waltz with Dianne Buswell to ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ won the most memorable moment in TV at the recent British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) TV awards ceremony.
This episode offers insight into the patient experience, exploring the daily challenges of living with retinitis pigmentosa and drawing inspiration from Chris’s unique personal and professional journey.
This is a non-promotional podcast organised and fully funded by Bayer plc.
July 2025 | PP-PF-OPHT-GB-1448
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