AJ Pritchard, known for his role on the BBC's 'Strictly Come Dancing', has drawn sharp criticism from viewers after his debut as a presenter on GB News. The professional dancer, who featured on 'Strictly' from 2016 to 2019, appeared on the channel's program 'The Saturday Five'.
Pritchard, 31, shared his views on petty crime during his appearance, arguing that such offenses are not victimless. "If you live or work in a city, you see it all the time," he stated. "Somebody walks into a shop, they pick up their meal deal, they fill their pockets with something, and they walk out. Nobody stops them. Nothing seems to happen." He emphasized that while individual incidents might seem minor, the cumulative effect on businesses is significant.
However, his foray into presenting was met with a largely negative reaction on social media platform X. Many viewers suggested that Pritchard should focus on his dancing career, with comments such as, "He should stick to dancing. Don’t know why he gave that up." Others questioned his transition from dancing to journalism, asking, "Since when was a dancing professional a journalist?"
Despite the criticism, some viewers offered support, acknowledging that it was his first presenting role and that he might be nervous. Comments included, "Good for him," and "AJ Pritchard did such a great job on GB News today!" Some also noted his appearance, with one user writing, "He LOOKED great (is all I'm saying!)". Another comment suggested he would improve with time, "I think AJ will be OK after some time, at the moment you can see he is trying to keep up with and get used to reading off the teleprompter."
Pritchard's GB News appearance follows a previous controversy where he suggested that 'Strictly Come Dancing' should prioritize British dancers over international performers. This stance drew disagreement from fellow professional dancers, including Karen Hauer and Oti Mabuse. Hauer, who recently departed 'Strictly' after 14 years, called Pritchard's comments "low," highlighting her own experience as an immigrant and emphasizing the global nature of the entertainment industry. She pointed out that many popular professional dancers on the show have not been British and that opportunities should be open to all.
Pritchard had previously told the Daily Mail that he believed it was "really important for a show like Strictly to really benefit the British dancers," adding that "there are so many great British professionals who can really use this opportunity to showcase what they can do."