Irish Sunday Mirror

Mollie and AJ are like an old married couple

Pair go for strolls in park

- BY JANINE YAQOOB Acting TV Editor

RUMOURS of romance between Mollie King and Strictly pro AJ Pritchard hit fever pitch after the dancer’s dad suggested they are like a married couple.

Former Saturdays singer Mollie and AJ have got tongues wagging with their tactile displays on and off the dance floor.

While they say they’re just friends, those closest to them hint it could be more than that.

AJ’S dad Adrian says his son is a lucky man to have “beautiful” Mollie, 30, on his arm.

Likening them to an old married couple, Adrian told how the cosy pair are enjoying strolls in the park and meals out.

Adrian, a dance pro himself who attends the live shows, said: “AJ and Mollie are having a lot of fun. They’ve really bonded.

“AJ has told me Mollie is great to be with. She works very hard and she has a great personalit­y.

“Anybody would like Mollie, she is a very beautiful lady, she has a great personalit­y – what is there not to like? They are spending more time with each other than a married couple would do.

“They are going for coffees together and strolls in the parks in London whenever they have breaks from the training.”

Adrian also revealed AJ, 22, brushed up on his knowledge of The Saturdays when he discovered he was paired with Mollie in an attempt to impress her. He added: “He spent some time listening to their music and watching some of their videos on Youtube. “And Mollie said he was the pro she was hoping to dance with.” Asked if his son and Mollie – who used to date model David Gandy, 37 – were more than friends, Adrian refused to rule it out. “People have their opinions about whether they are now an item – you will have to ask AJ about that. But I think she’s great. I have met Mollie after every show. She is very nice, very easy to talk to.”

Last night, Mollie and AJ danced the Viennese Waltz to Cilla Black’s

Anyone Who Had A Heart. The judges gave them 24 out of a possible 30.

Mollie’s former Saturdays bandmate Una Healy has also fuelled rumours the dance partners could be dating. When asked about the potential romance, she answered: “You never know.” Mollie recently opened up about her past heartbreak following her split from Gandy, saying: “We were very much in love, but it had come to that point where we felt we had given this everything but it wasn’t going to work.” Adrian, 60, and his wife Debi, 55, run the Pritchard Dancing and Fitness Academy in Burleydam, Cheshire.

AJ inherited his talents from his dad, who is a pro Ballroom and Latin Amercoyly ican Champion. He took part in the original Come Dancing contest, which ran on the BBC from 1950 to 1998.

Adrian taught AJ from the age of 11. He said: “He was very keen and competitiv­e at an early age.

“He used to get up at 4am to go to competitio­ns – coming back really late at night.

“He chose to do it and he made the decision not to go out to parties, nightclubs or discos.

“When AJ got the opportunit­y to go on Strictly it was a great change that he had to grab with both hands.”

Adrian also trained Chloe Hewitt, one of the other pro dancers on Strictly.

janineyaqo­ob@trinitymir­ror.com

 ??  ?? PROUD Adrian taught son to dance
PROUD Adrian taught son to dance
 ??  ?? CHA CHEER AJ and Mollie are having fun, says dad
CHA CHEER AJ and Mollie are having fun, says dad
 ??  ?? BOY STAR AJ started dance lessons at 11
BOY STAR AJ started dance lessons at 11
 ??  ?? SWING AND I AJ and Mollie sizzle last night FLOOR ’EM AJ in dance contest at age of 12
SWING AND I AJ and Mollie sizzle last night FLOOR ’EM AJ in dance contest at age of 12

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