Curtis: Club brawl made me famous
Publicity put me on Love Isle, he says
LOVE Island’s Curtis Pritchard says being knocked unconscious in a nightclub attack was a good thing – because it helped make him famous.
Curtis, 23, and his Strictly Come Dancing professional brother AJ, 24, were beaten up in an unprovoked assault by eight thugs at the club in Nantwich, Cheshire, over Christmas.
Curtis, who had been in Ireland’s Dancing with the Stars, was battered unconscious as he shielded his brother from blows and ended up needing surgery on his damaged knee.
But he says he turned the attack into a positive as the publicity helped to make him a mainstream name, which led to him being picked for ITV2 reality show Love Island.
Curtis, from Stoke, said: “The attack was disgusting but I think to myself that if it had never happened, perhaps I wouldn’t have been noticed and been where I am today.
Mind-blowing
“I look at that in a positive light. Also, my brother could have been more injured and he wasn’t so that whole situation turned into a positive and it has knock-on effects.”
Curtis finished fourth on Love Island after coupling with Irish beauty Maura Higgins, 28.
He said: “I had the summer of my life and came out with a lovely young lady.”
After flying back from filming the series in Majorca, Curtis has landed a role on BBC TV’S The Greatest Dancer.
He’s the show’s receptionist, who greets contestants before they go on stage, and will join judges including Cheryl and Oti Mabuse when the series returns next year.
“It’s mind- blowing, I’m just so grateful,” said Curtis.
He added his relationship with Maura is also g oi ng well. They’ve been enjoying date nights – and Curtis has been the perfect gentleman. He said: “She was tired and I knew she needed s ome clothes for the morning so I got up before her and ironed them.” KYLE Minogue will be spinning around the glitterball as she launches Strictly Come Dancing.
Big fan Kylie, 51, has agreed to open the 17th series on BBC1 next month with a medley of her greatest hits.
Contestants this year include Corrie’s Catherine Tyldesley, Anneka Rice, Viscountess Weymouth, rower James Cracknell and ex- England goalie David James. Motsi Mabuse replaces Darcey Bussell as a judge.