Former Strictly star AJ Pritchard faces backlash over GB News presenting debut
I’m A Celeb star AJ Pritchard attends the RuPaul’s Drag Race UK launch (Karwai Tang/WireImage) (WireImage)
Former Strictly Come Dancing professional AJ Pritchard has faced a wave of backlash after making his presenting debut on GB News, with some viewers questioning his decision to join the channel given his previous LGBTQ+ allyship.
The 31-year-old dancer hosted The Saturday Five on Saturday (3 October), marking his latest move into television presenting after leaving Strictly in 2019.
His debut was met with a mixed response, but criticism quickly spread online with some viewers taking issue with his decision to work for GB News.
“I think the worrying thing [is] if you live or work in a city, you see [theft] all the time,” Pritchard said in the segment.
“Somebody walks into a shop, they pick up their meal deal, they fill their pockets with something, and they walk out. Nobody stops them.”
Pritchard went on to argue that individual instances of low-value theft can add up to a wider problem, before moving on to a discussion about prisoners being released early.
‘He was actively supporting the LGBTQ+ community’
In 2018, Pritchard appeared on the cover of Attitude magazine, with the accompanying interview covering his career, relationships and his same-sex pairing with Pasha Kovalev for Strictly’s 16th season that year.
Pritchard also worked as a choreographer on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK alongside his brother, Curtis on the Series 1 finale, serving as guest choreographers to help the final three queens prepare for their ultimate all-singing, all-dancing main challenge.
That history has prompted some viewers to question his decision to take a presenting role at GB News, a broadcaster that has frequently attracted criticism over its coverage of LGBTQ+ issues.
One social-media user highlighted Pritchard’s Attitude cover and Drag Race UK work while accusing him of moving from “actively supporting the LGBTQ+ community” to appearing on a platform they characterised as hostile to LGBTQ+ people.
Another described his previous allyship as “performative”.
GB News itself has been the subject of repeated regulatory scrutiny over its programming, including Ofcom investigations and rulings concerning due impartiality and other broadcasting standards. The channel describes itself as providing news, opinions and analysis and features a number of prominent conservative and right-wing political commentators.
Pritchard has not publicly addressed the criticism over his new role or explained his decision to join the broadcaster.
A new chapter after Strictly
Pritchard was a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing from 2016 to 2019 appearing in four consecutive series, before leaving the BBC programme in 2020 to pursue presenting opportunities with his brother, Love Island star Curtis Pritchard.
He subsequently appeared on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins in 2020 and 2022, respectively.
Recently Pritchard travelled to the US to compete on The Next Pro, a competition series offering the winner a professional position on Dancing With the Stars.
He ultimately finished as runner-up to Adele Zaikman.
His relationship with the Strictly world has also become more complicated in recent months.
Pritchard previously sparked criticism after saying that Strictly should employ more British professional dancers.
“We’re in the UK, I’m proud to be British and there are so many fantastic boys and girls out there who would love the opportunity,” he told The Sun.
His former Strictly colleague Karen Hauer criticised the comments, pointing out that the show’s international dancers had also contributed to its success.
Oti Mabuse, meanwhile, said Pritchard “might have rubbed a lot of people the wrong way with his personality” and suggested it could be difficult for him to rebuild relationships within the Strictly community.
Now, his GB News presenting role marks another significant change in direction.
