‘WE’RE THE MOST COMPETITIVE PEOPLE YOU’LL EVER MEET’
‘STRICTLY COME DANCING’ PROFESSIONAL AJ PRITCHARD AND HIS MUM DEBI TELL ok!’s JOSIE COPSON HOW PROUD THEY ARE OF ‘LOVE ISLAND’ STAR CURTIS AND THEIR CLOSE FAMILY BOND
Until recently AJ Pritchard was the most famous member of his family, but now he’s got to share the title over to his younger brother Curtis. While AJ has slowly found fame over his three years starring on Strictly Come Dancing, Curtis has catapulted his star status by winning over the nation’s hearts on the current series of Love Island, making him equally famous.
As the ITV2 programme hits the halfway point, Irish Dancing With The Stars professional Curtis is a clear favourite after coupling up with 27-year-old air stewardess Amy Hart. He’s also won over viewers by becoming the villa’s unofficial therapist, offering the Islanders his unique advice. With the 23 year old marking himself as one of the show’s stand out stars,
OK! is excited to get to know more about him as we join AJ, 24, and the brothers’ proud mum Debi, 57, on our exclusive shoot. ‘I’m an interview virgin,’ laughs Debi, who runs a dance and fitness school with AJ and Curtis’s dad Adrian, as she gets her makeup done. ‘My fake eyelashes make me feel like I’m going to fly away. Is this how the Kardashians feel?’ she remarks much to the amusement of
AJ. It’s abundantly clear they’re a very close family and genuinely enjoy each other’s company, with Debi even getting emotional during our interview as she talks about missing her son.
Here OK! finds out what AJ and Debi think of Amy, how the family dealt with a recent nightclub attack on the brothers and what really happened between AJ and Caroline Flack at this year’s National Television Awards…
Curtis is the unofficial villa therapist. Do you turn to him for advice too?
AJ: I don’t ask him for advice [laughs], but some friends do turn to him. He has a little black book that he carries around so he can jot down inspirational quotes when they come to him.
What do you think of him and Amy?
AJ: They look so happy and at ease with each other, which is the most important thing. He’s found someone that he can be himself around, and I don’t think his head could be turned. You have to be friends before you enter a relationship, or a ‘half relationship’ [laughs].
Debi: I thought it was really cute that he asked her to be his half girlfriend. Amy seems really nice, so I’m pleased for them both. I don’t see why they wouldn’t work on the outside.
AJ: She likes going to the theatre, and we like doing that too so she’ll fit in well!
Amy has faced some criticism and her family have received death threats. How does that make you feel?
Debi: That has just made my stomach go all the way through my body. It’s horrible. It’s sad that it’s happened. Curtis is very supportive and happy with Amy, so any negative comments are unwarranted.
AJ, did you give him any advice about coping with life in the public eye?
The good thing about Curtis is he’s very confident and secure in himself, so he doesn’t waste his energy on any negative comments.
He’s very close to Tommy Fury. What do you think of their bromance?
Debi: I love it! He likes to have male buddies. He loves boxing too, but I didn’t know how to teach him that so we went for ballroom dancing! Curtis is comfortable enough in his sexuality to be confident in expressing himself. It doesn’t matter how other people perceive it.
AJ: It’s 2019. He can kiss Tommy on the lips! Debi: Curtis won’t be bothered about any comments about his sexuality. He won’t conform. He’ll do what he believes in.
Do people question his sexuality? Debi: Everyone questions everything. It’s sadly the way the world is evolving, but you just have to accept people as they are. AJ: For us it’s always about being happy. You don’t have to question what you’ve done as long as you’re happy in that moment.
Did you start dancing at the same time as each other, AJ?
AJ: Yes – I was 12 and Curtis was 11.
Debi: Me and their dad Adrian run a dance school and one day we received a letter from a TV programme asking if we had any young dancers. AJ said: ‘I want to go on TV!’ I explained that he couldn’t dance but he replied: ‘You’re dance teachers so you can show us.’ I can teach to a certain level, and their dad is a world professional ballroom and Latin coach. We got them two girl partners, but they didn’t get picked for the programme.
Did that put them off?
No! It was then that they decided they wanted to become top of the game, and they both became addicted to dancing.
AJ: That’s the thing about me and Curtis, we do everything at 100 per cent.
Debi: AJ achieved ballroom and Latin world champion status, but we realised Curtis wasn’t going to conform to the judges to get his scores high enough. He preferred to perform to the nice little dear on the front row. She’d be loving it, and the judges would hate it.
Were you ever competitive with each other?
AJ: Oh yeah, we’re the most competitive people you’ll ever meet! Everything from who can eat their food quickest to who could build the biggest den as children, and that has continued. It’s never not been a competition. He’s definitely winning on the more famous brother front, though! We get on brilliantly but we’re very different. I’m quite driven, if I was on Love Island I’d do two hours in the gym, some laps of the pool and then do a dance class. Curtis is like: ‘I’ll just go and get some more cereal.’
AJ, you and Curtis were attacked during a night out in December. How did that affect you?
When I watch TV shows with violence, it brings back the memories. I still question why it happened. Talking about it does help but it’s stopped me wanting to go out as much as I used to.
Debi: Curtis protected AJ that night. He stood in front of him because he immediately thought of AJ’S legs and his role on Strictly. He put himself on the line for another human being. That just shows what a great guy he is.
AJ: We came together as a family even more so after that.
Debi: It helped AJ and Curtis to see just how strong their bond is.
Did the attack make you concerned about their position in the public eye, Debi?
For a moment I did lose control. I screamed, cried and jumped up and down before I went to the hospital. I couldn’t do it in front of the boys. You couldn’t see Curtis’s face because he was completely black and blue, and his leg was completely bent backwards so he had to have surgery. I felt helpless. Even at that moment Curtis didn’t allow any negativity. They didn’t want to delve into the horrible side of it, so there’s not going to be any repercussions for the attackers.
You must be missing Curtis…
AJ: He lives up north with our parents, but he stays with me a lot in London for work. Even when I’m not with him I’m Facetiming him. I got really upset the other day because I could see him on the TV, but I couldn’t talk and laugh with him.
Debi: The last phone call we all had with him was emotional. I put the phone down but then I felt bad about how upset I’d got so I rang him back. I screamed down the phone: ‘I love you loads,’ and he was like: ‘I’ve got to go.’
AJ: I was in the gym crying during my last chat with him. We’re a close family so even when we’re all over the world we are chatting all the time.
Debi: I can feel Curtis in my tummy. It’s a mum thing. I know he’s alright. If we’re lucky enough to be invited into the villa, I will run in and throw my arms around him.
Is it weird watching him in the villa? Debi: Watching Love Island is an experience because I’ve never watched it before.
AJ: The best thing about it is that everyone is getting to see the Curtis that I know and love. He’s just having a nice time in the sun. On day two he did look very red, though!
Debi: That was my main rule before he left – just don’t get sun burnt. I also told him to be the beautiful person I know he is and to enjoy it. I can truly say that the person I’m watching on TV is my Curtis. He’s been fantastic to watch, other than the swearing!
Did you speak to him about having sex on TV?
Debi: I’m asked this every single day, but it’s weird because I haven’t even considered it. I surprise myself with that answer, but it’s not something I worry about.
Do you think Curtis will be tempted by the female attention when he leaves the villa?
Debi: No, he’s going to be too busy working! His personality is his biggest feature, and Love Island is going to open so many doors for him because everyone can see that.
AJ, have you been in touch with Caroline Flack since Love Island began? [AJ was rumoured to have a romance with her after they were spotted getting close at the NTAS earlier this year, right.]
She sent me a voicenote before the show started saying that she’d seen Curtis, and she was excited to see what he was like in the villa. What really went on between you and Caroline? As the video from the NTAS shows it was very loud in there, and my ears aren’t that good so I had to lean in a bit closer to hear what she was saying. We’re really good friends but nothing happened between us!
Are you dating anyone?
I’m currently seeing another dancer [Abbie
Quinnen], but it’s very early days. I’m working constantly so I don’t get to see her too often, but I’m very happy.
Debi: I’ve met her but I didn’t realise she was his girlfriend. I just thought she was a friend. She’s very nice. I would be disappointed if a nice young man like AJ didn’t have a lovely lady somewhere in the wings.
There are always rumours about your love life, especially when Strictly is on. Is it ever distracting in the training room?
I’m so wholly focused on the job so I don’t pay attention to anything else going on. Sometimes I’ll have a quick look at lunchtime but I just laugh at how untrue they are.
Which of your dance partners do you keep in touch with?
All of them! Lauren [Steadman], Mollie [King], and Claudia [Fragapane] – we had such a great experience so I wouldn’t want to lose friends like that. Me and Mollie are always chatting on Whatsapp. We’ve been planning to go for the same Sunday roast for like eight months now. Our schedules are crazy.
Do you see yourself staying on Strictly?
AJ: Yes it’s an amazing job – what other job do you get to choreograph, dance and perform every week?
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