Strictly stars and celebs turn on AJ Pritchard as he’s branded ‘arrogant’ by US DWTS pro

STRICTLY stars and celebrities have turned on AJ Pritchard after he was branded ‘arrogant’ by a US Dancing With The Stars professional. Dancer AJ, 31, is currently taking part in Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro, which hit American channel ABC on July 13. Strictly stars and celebs turn on AJ Pritchard as he’s branded ‘arrogant’ by a US DWTS pro Credit: Disney Valentin Chmerkovskiy didn’t hold back when talking about the star on a recent podcast Credit: Getty The spin-off follows 12 dancers battle it out to bag themselves a spot on the upcoming 35th season of Dancing With The Stars. DWTS pro Valentin Chmerkovskiy opened up about his thoughts on the new series on the Stepping on Toes podcast – and he didn’t hold back about AJ. Sign up for the TV newsletter Thank you! “It makes good TV at his expense. I guess that’s how I want to say it. I wish he wrapped that arrogance into a little softer presentation,” Val said. “I understand if he’s coming in with this feeling of like—I’m not gonna say entitlement, I don’t want to use that word. AJ took part in Strictly between 2016 and 2019 Credit: BBC Oti shared her thoughts earlier this week on him taking part in the DWTS spin-off Credit: BBC “But if he comes in with not a chip on his shoulder, but kind of like, ‘What am I even doing here? “Why do I have to go through this process if I already know I’m good enough and I already did this.’ “I can appreciate that, but dude, then don’t sign up for the show.” AJ has a number of competitive dance titles under his belt, including the British National Youth Ballroom Champion and British National Youth Latin Champion. Most read in TV Val said: “We all got pedigree. Everybody’s won something. “I appreciate that he’s a well accomplished competitive dancer and he does have experience already at this job—he had this job.” As well as numerous titles, AJ also appeared on Strictly between 2016 and 2019. He managed to reach the final with Claudia Fragapane the year he joined the team. It comes after Strictly star Oti slammed AJ by saying he ‘rubbed the cast up wrong way’. South African-born Oti, 35, appeared as a professional dancer on the BBC show from 2015 to 2021. Taking to TikTok, she answered a fan question about whether she thought it was fair that he was taking part in Dancing With The Stars: The Next Pro given his experience. Oti said: “I think AJ has said a lot of things, both about Strictly as a brand. “I don’t even know how to word this… might have rubbed a lot of people the wrong way with his personality. We can admit that as well. “Him coming out in public and saying he wants British dancers on a British show because Strictly is [in] Britain.” Oti went on to outline how the “most popular pros” on Strictly had not been British. She referenced Dianne Buswell, Aljaž Škorjanec, Janette Manrara, Vito Coppola, Katya Jones and Nikita Kuzmin as recent examples. Oti said: “You can imagine for a lot of people, [AJ’s comments] would’ve rubbed people the wrong way.” She highlighted the benefit of Strictly showcasing dances from around the world, courtesy of having professionals from those countries. Oti added: “He’s gone off, left the biggest brand and just been really horrible about it. So that might rub a lot of people the wrong way. “He left and decided, ‘Okay, maybe now I’m recharged, I’ve grown and I’d like another opportunity’. “Do I think he should now try and go to the American one? Yeah, maybe that might work out better for him. “Maybe his personality might be a little more palatable there.” Comment now