Dear NHS Superstars
Brothers AJ and Curtis Pritchard tell us how healthcare workers helped them achieve their dancing dreams
I’m expecting this one-off special to be a moving and uplifting watch, as celebrities celebrate and pay tribute to our amazing NHS workers. Showbiz brothers AJ and Curtis Pritchard tell us why they were honoured to be involved…
The coronavirus pandemic, and, in particular, the recent Clap for Carers initiative, has led many of us to reflect on the contribution the NHS has made to the lives of family, friends and millions of other Brits over the 72 years since it was created.
And that vital work is at the heart of BBC1’S Dear NHS Superstars, a one-off special that sees celebrities, including showbiz siblings AJ and Curtis Pritchard, Amanda Holden,
Sir Lenny Henry and Strictly’s head judge Shirley Ballas, sharing their own experiences as they pay tribute to all the amazing healthcare professionals, from porters and physiotherapists to cleaners and consultants.
Here, former Strictly pro AJ, 25, and his younger brother, The Greatest Dancer star Curtis, 24, tell TV Times why they are proud to be involved…
Why did you want to be part of this programme?
AJ: We have both broken our arms, Curt’s broken his leg, we’ve both had knee operations, Dad’s had a new hip and a new knee – the NHS has done so much work to keep us going in our dancing careers, and to generally keep us fit and healthy. CURTIS: And to help us become champions, really.
Being professional dancers, are you quite used to injury? CURTIS: We’ve had our fair share! I remember breaking my leg when I did a backflip on a trampoline. I was so scared to go home because our dancing meant everything to us, and I knew I couldn’t walk. I felt like I was going to let my dad down, and then the NHS sorted me out as fast as possible, so I managed to win those trophies!
AJ: The NHS and the staff – the porters, the physiotherapists, all that side of it – got me back to my physical health when I had keyhole surgery done on my left knee. I then won my world championship, one of my biggest and proudest moments as a competitive dancer, about eight or nine weeks after having surgery. I remember not being able to walk, thinking I’d never dance again, and then I was able to go on to win my biggest competition thanks to the hard work of the people that put me back together.
In the programme, you also talk about your experiences with the NHS after being attacked on a night out in 2018… AJ: The impact of that was seeing how professional these people are – they took
the stress out of my hands when I handed Curtis over to the paramedics and the ambulance.
CURTIS: We already held the NHS in high regard but they helped us out incredibly quickly. I was in the hospital straight away – MRI scan, everything – and I can’t thank them enough for that.
Are you looking forward to hearing the other celebrities’ stories on the programme? AJ: Yes, we don’t always shout about all the things that have happened to us in our lives, but when you’re asked, ‘How have they helped you?’ I think people open up differently.
Do you know any NHS heroes? AJ: One of my closest friends is Dr Ranj Singh, who is the happiest guy ever. Even when he was doing Strictly [in 2018], his hours were insane. He would train all day, dancing with Janette Manrara in the studio, then he would do a night shift! I don’t know how he kept going, other than his positivity and the love that he has for his work.
How have you been getting on with lockdown?
AJ: We’ve been very lucky – we came to our family home in Cheshire, so we’ve got a bit more space. Currently our hobby seems to have turned into full-on mountain-biking every single day. We’re trying to stay out of the hands of the NHS again…
You won’t be competing this year, AJ, but how do you think Strictly might work?
AJ: I’m intrigued to see how it will work. You can do dances socially distanced. And if people are quarantined together, they’re obviously safe to dance together, too. CURTIS: It will be a very interesting year if everyone’s isolating together. It’s going to add a whole new angle to the show!
AJ: Strictly always puts a smile on everybody’s faces. I have no doubt it will still do what it does every year – bring the nation together.
I REMEMBER NOT BEING ABLE TO WALK, THINKING I’D NEVER DANCE AGAIN AJ PRITCHARD
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No matter how healthy we might be, at some point in our lives we’ve all been in the care of the NHS for one reason or another. In this one-off special, celebrities from all walks of life share their stories and express their gratitude to the staff they may not have been able to thank properly at the time. The stars taking part include The Last Leg’s Alex Brooker, who reveals how the staff at Great Ormond Street Hospital changed his life; Shirley Ballas, who broke her ankle as a young dancer; and Sue Perkins, who admits to being accident-prone and has a long list of examples to prove it…★★★★ SP
See feature, page 14