BOXING & BALLROOM ARE BASICALLY THE SAME THING!
Love Island’s Tommy and Curtis talk job swapping with Charlotte Oliver
They say opposites attract, and nobody knows this better than Curtis Pritchard and Tommy Fury. After all, they may have found girlfriends on this year’s Love Island but, far more importantly, they found each other – against all odds. And let’s be honest, the odds were stacked against them. While boxer Tommy, 20, hails from the Fury family, who live up to their name with their roll-call of top-notch fighters (his brother is former world champion Tyson), twinkle-toed Curtis, 23, has been dancing since he was in nappies. Not the likeliest of BFFS.
Still, bromance blossomed, and now, they’re about to step into each other’s training shoes for reality series The Boxer & The Ballroom Dancer, to see how the other half live. Speaking to heat, the boys tell us how they fared exchanging punches and pliés – and why they have more in common than meets the eye.
So, what can we expect to see on the show? Curtis: We switch roles completely – I’m taking over
Tommy’s world and he’s taking over mine. We’ve both been thrown in at the deep end. Tommy: It’s very funny. I’m from a rough-and-tough background, so it was just crazy for me to be stepping into the ballroom world, where it’s all prim and proper. I didn’t see anyone else with a bit of stubble. How different is boxing to ballroom dancing? C: In a weird way, it’s so, so different, but also so similar. Obviously, in dancing, you’re not punching or getting punched, but you are having to constantly use your brain and think on the spot. T: Also, as I found out, dancing is like boxing: you have to dedicate your whole life to it. It really is way more demanding than I thought. Will we see you guys get in the ring together? C: You will not see me fighting Tommy. Unless I have a big bodysuit on that blows up and protects me. T: I don’t think that’s quite on the menu yet. Then again, Curtis is a big lad. I don’t want no part of Curtis. How about performing a joint routine on the dance floor? T: Possibly, but that’s going to take a long time. It took me a long enough time to learn the goddamn tango.
‘You don’t become a celeb by sunbathing for two months’
I’m like a brick on the show. So, is it safe to say the bromance is still alive and kicking? C: Oh yeah, it’s still there – Tommy’s going to be my friend for life. Honestly, I love the kid. T: Everything you saw on Love Island was real. We didn’t go on purposefully to find a bromance, it just fell into place. Why do you think you both clicked? C: One, we have the same sense of humour; two, we both give our honest opinions, even if it’s not what we want to hear. We also come from similar backgrounds – we’ve both had to give up a lot to achieve what we have. T: We’re both competitors in our own right and we’ve had to dedicate our lives to our jobs. We grew up differently from the average teenager and didn’t go out clubbing and drinking. You both have famous brothers [Curtis’ brother is Strictly pro AJ] – do you feel extra pressure to prove yourselves? C: I think that’s why me and Tommy also clicked. We have two brothers, who are very successful and are incredible people. But I’ve never felt pressured at all. I want the best for my brother. I’d do anything for him and I’d put my life on the line for him – hence why, last year, to get him out of trouble, I took the beating, no hesitation [last Christmas, AJ and Curtis were victims of a vicious attack on a night out, which left Curtis needing knee surgery]. T: Same. I don’t feel like I have to prove anything to anyone but myself, but I’ve got my own goals.
I want to achieve them for me, not for the public or anyone else. Was it difficult being thrust into the public eye after Love Island? C: No. Fortunately, I’ve been so busy and focused on what I’ve been doing, I haven’t really noticed. If anyone stops me on the street, I will always think to myself, “They’re the people who put me where I am,” so I will always stop for a photo. I’m a talkative guy, I’ll talk to anyone, so I’ll never turn anyone away. T: People leave these shows thinking that they’re superstars. Well, you’re not, mate, you were just on a reality show for a few months. A lot of people forget that, but I don’t because my family always keep me grounded. I know where I come from. I still go to Morrisons and Mcdonald’s for my dinner. It’s nothing more, nothing less. You walk down the street, a few people want a photo, but it’s not that deep. I’ll only consider myself a superstar when I achieve my goals. You can’t become a celebrity just by sunbathing for two months. You’re both still with your Love Island girlfriends – how’s it going? C: It’s going really, really good. Maura [Higgins] is a good girl, I have a lot of feelings for her. The thing is, it’s so early on. We’re both on the same wavelength – we need to grasp all the opportunities that we’ve been offered to create longevity. We’re not putting work first, but we’re focused on creating a living. But whenever we can see each other, we’re straight there. It was difficult when I was filming this series – I was in Manchester, while she was down in London training for Dancing On Ice. But we’re always messaging. Meanwhile, Tommy – you and Molly-mae are already living together! T: Yeah, we live in a nice little apartment in Manchester. Honestly, things couldn’t be going better. We’re in the middle of setting up Sky right now, it just feels like home. It’s so effortless and real. If we didn’t get along living together for two months,
being in each other’s pockets every day, then yeah, maybe it wouldn’t have been a good idea. But on Love Island, we wanted to be close to each other all the time, so as soon as we got out of the villa, it just made sense. We’re a match made in heaven. Who does the dishes at home? T: Molly always does the dishes, she cleans the flat spick and span. I couldn’t ask for anything more from her. But I do the big jobs, like setting up the TV and the wi-fi. Are wedding bells on the cards for either of you? C: I mean, that’s the way we’d like things to go in the future. If everything keeps going as it’s going, then fingers crossed. T: We’re so young and so loved-up, we’re just going to take it easy. There’s no pressure, but I’m sure all that stuff will come in the future. Why do you think you’re the only two couples still standing from your series? C: I don’t actually know. Me and
Maura are both real and we say what’s what – we don’t lead people on. T: There’s no secret. My relationship with Molly-mae is no different to anyone else’s, apart from millions of people watched us get together. We’re not trying to prove a point to anyone, we’re just getting on with normal life. What’s a typical date night for both of you? C: A typical date night for me and Maura would be either a little bit of Deliveroo at home, watching a series, or a meal out. We went and watched Frozen II recently – that was lovely, that was. T: We like going to the cinema, bowling, going for food, going for walks, just normal things. The four of us recently went for a nice meal out. It’s just nice to get together in a normal environment outside of Love Island. It’s not long until Love Island Winter starts – what advice do you have for the new recruits? T: A lot of boys and girls go on the show for fame and glory. I’ll say it right now – the only reason I went on that show was to find love. The fame was coming anyway, with the boxing. As long as you’re happy, you find love and have the right people around you, who cares about the materialistic things? I don’t. C: Be open-minded, don’t go in with a game plan. If someone tickles your pickle, go and speak to them. Don’t go in there to play with someone’s emotions or to further your career. It does get hard sometimes – there’s a lot of pressure. Be yourself, enjoy it, don’t be afraid to talk to anyone. Christmas is coming – what plans do you guys have? C: I’m now in High Wycombe doing panto – it’s only an hour away from London, where Maura’s training, so we’ll see each other a lot more. Christmas Day is still to be confirmed. I think it will be last-minute. I’ve got lots to do – I’ve still got to learn my whole panto script! T: Molly and I will each have Christmas lunch with our families, and then at about 4pm or 5pm, I’ll drive down to hers, stay with her family that night, and spend a few days in London, and then we fly out to the Maldives. We deserve it – it’s been a stressful year. Joyous, but very stressful.
Have you both got your presents sorted? C: Well, on Sunday, we were filming all day, and then Tommy and me quickly shot off to Selfridges. Then, just as I was buying something for Maura, she turned up with Molly-mae. I don’t know if she saw it or not, but she didn’t say anything. T: I’m always a panic buyer, but I’ve got a few things in mind – hopefully they’ve got them in stock. Molly hasn’t given me a list, but I’m going to show her that my ears do work. Molly-mae’s spoken about the negative effects she’s suffered because of online trolling – have you guys experienced it? C: Yeah, but I don’t really take any notice. If someone says something and you retaliate, it gives them fuel to retaliate back. I don’t need to waste my time on that. Life is always moving forward. Be happy and positive, appreciate life, don’t get caught up on the negative stuff. T: At the end of the day, lions don’t lose sleep over the opinions of sheep, so it doesn’t matter. As long as we’re happy, who cares what people think? ■
The Boxer & The Ballroom Dancer airs Monday 16 December at 9pm on ITV2