AJ Pritchard has praised Strictly Come Dancing for its pro dancer cull as he called on the BBC to champion British talent.
Earlier this year, the show overhauled the professional lineup, with five dancers departing, including Venezuelan–American Karen Haeur, Spaniard Gorka Márquez, Ukrainian Nadiya Bychkova, Russian Luba Mushtuk and Cypriot Michelle Tsiakkas.
It was said that the major overhaul was to ‘refresh the show and boost viewership among younger audiences’.
Now, AJ, who appeared in four series of the dance competition between 2016 and 2019, has commended the BBC for their ‘brutal axes’ during a chat with the Daily Mail alongside his brother Curtis.
The dancer, 31, said: ‘I was away when somebody sent me some of the links about people that were, let’s say, thinned out the herd, and I was like, “whoa! They really went for it, didn’t they?”
‘But at the same time, I think one thing that’s really important for a show like Strictly is to really benefit the British dancers.’
AJ Pritchard has praised Strictly Come Dancing for its pro dancer cull as he called on the BBC to champion British dancers and teased a return to the show (pictured in 2019)
Earlier this year, the show overhauled the professional lineup, with five dancers departing, including Venezuelan–American Karen Haeur and Spaniard Gorka Márquez
He continued: ‘There are so many great British professionals who can really use this opportunity to showcase what they can do.
‘I think maybe in the past, people have been a bit chill, a bit playing it safe. I never play it safe.
‘Every single year, whether it be choreography, lifts, tricks, like, that’s what makes a routine exciting, and that’s what makes the audience be like, we really like this couple.’
Despite leaving the show six years ago, AJ never ruled out a return, previously revealing that he’d like to make a comeback as a judge if the opportunity came his way.
In the meantime, he’s trying his luck across the pond appearing on a spin off of the US series of Strictly, Dancing With The Stars.
Dancing With The Stars: The Pros will follow dancers auditioning to become one of the professional dancers on the upcoming series of the main show, with 12 contestants vying for a contract as a professional dancer on the Dancing With The Stars cast.
Although if that doesn’t work out, AJ has his eyes set on Strictly hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkelman’s jobs, after they stepped down from their presenting duties after more than 20 years.
Teasing a return to the show, AJ said: ‘My diary, technically, in the second half of the year is not too jam-packed.
‘I love dancing. Like, I am always going to be on the TV doing different experiences and different dance shows.
‘The one thing that I always like to live my life by is always be ready. So I’m always physically fit, mentally fit, and always pushing myself.
‘Through January and February, I was doing two, three dance classes at Pineapple (dance studio) a week, doing contemporary, jazz, Latin, ballroom, because I always like to keep myself at the best that I can be.’
‘You could go back to make the final, your a serial semi-finalist, you were,’ Curtis quipped.
AJ made the semi-finals of the show three times during his four-year stint.
He finished in fourth place with Claudia Fragapane in 2016, fifth with Mollie King in 2017, ad fifth with Lauren Steadman in 2018.
This week, it was reported that Strictly bosses are holding a last-minute presenter audition as they scramble to secure a host.
It’s a race against time as the show is set to kick off in five months with its 24th series.
A spokesperson for Strictly Come Dancing told The Daily Mail: ‘Plans for Strictly Come Dancing 2026 will be confirmed in due course.’
Long-time hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkelman stepped down from their presenting duties after more than 20 years
Away from the dance scene, AJ and brother Curtis gearing up to take part in the London Marathon for the end of life charity Marie Curie, which takes place on Sunday (April 26).
Away from the dance scene, AJ and Curtis are busy launching their EFT investment app called Fint, for young investors to simplify long-term investing using expert-managed portfolios.
They are also gearing up to take part in the London Marathon, which takes place on Sunday (April 26).
The brothers will be running for the end-of-life charity Marie Curie, alongside AJ’s fiancée Zara Zoffany.
After losing their nan during the pandemic, the brothers are channelling their grief into something positive – running together in her honour and supporting the charity to help other families facing a similar heartbreak.
Speaking about the charity, Curtis said: ‘Unfortunately, we have lost a few people at all different ages, through different cancers and different situations, and just giving people the best care and opportunities when it unfortunately is coming to the end of their life is, I think, is very special.
‘It not only just helps, whether it’s the kids, the adults, whatever it is, it helps the parents, it helps the people around them as well, get comfort.
‘And I think all of these things really do add up, so what Marie Curie does is, well, it’s genuinely life-changing, not just for the patients, it’s for the families, for everyone as well.’
AJ added: ‘Yeah, I think Marie Curie’s role as the Charity of the Year for the London Marathon is important from one side, but the charity itself is very close to our hearts from when we lost our grandma.
‘That end-of-life care is so important at a point when actually most people need the dignity and the help and the care.’
On Tuesday, the pair unveiled ‘The Daffodil Runner,’ a new sculpture from Marie Curie made from 557 steel daffodils, representing the number of people who die each day in the UK without essential end-of-life care.
‘The Daffodil Runner’ can be seen next to Tower Bridge at Potters Fields Park – the iconic mid-way point along the TCS London Marathon route – before it moves to ExCel London to inspire runners as they collect their bib numbers.
It will then be permanently housed in the gardens of the Marie Curie Hospice, Cardiff and the Vale in Penarth.
