AJ Pritchard brands Strictly Come Dancing ‘mentally brutal’ as he admits ‘constant judgement’ was ‘tough’

He said he left because he ‘didn’t have a life’

AJ Pritchard has spoken out about his time as a pro dancer on Strictly Come Dancing.

In a new interview, he’s told ED! that he found the show just as tough as Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins due to the “stress and pressure” that comes with such a high-profile series.

AJ was on Strictly from 2016 to 2019. A few years after he left, in 2022, he appeared on Channel 4’s Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins. The new series of the endurance show continues this weekend (January 18).

AJ Pritchard – with Dianne Buswell – was on Strictly from 2016 till 2019 (Credit: Splash News)

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AJ Pritchard on ‘tough’ time on BBC dance show

Speaking on behalf of Paddy Power Games, we asked AJ if Celebrity SAS was the toughest show on the box, and if it was tougher than Strictly.

He told us: “They’re tough in very different ways. Strictly Come Dancing lasts months and comes with constant public judgment, media pressure and mental stress. SAS is short but incredibly intense.”

AJ then added: “If you struggle to block things out, Strictly can be mentally brutal over a long period. SAS hits you hard straight away. They’re just different kinds of tough.”

AJ found Strictly and SAS ‘tough in very different ways’ (Credit: Splash News)

Why did AJ leave Strictly?

The pro dancer announced he was leaving Strictly in March 2020. At the time, he said he wanted to go into TV presenting with brother Curtis. He also said: “I didn’t have a life and I wanted to be able to do more. I did have to turn down things in the past, which I was upset about sometimes, but I understood I was part of Strictly Come Dancing. Now I am going to pursue things I didn’t have the time for. It’s the right move.”

However, the pandemic struck, with TV production grinding to a halt, scuppering AJ’s plans. When restrictions lifted, Celebrity SAS came along. And he’s still living by lessons he learnt on the show today.

AJ took part in Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins in 2022 (Credit: Channel 4)

‘SAS teaches you to decide quickly, commit to it and go’

“The thing I still stick to today is decision-making,” he said, four years after appearing on the show. “SAS teaches you to decide quickly, commit to it and go. I apply that to business and life all the time. Confidence in your choices is everything.”

He also addressed the number of recruits dropping out this year and told us: “I think background matters massively. Athletes who’ve trained through pain and setbacks are used to pushing through. Some people give different reasons every time they’re challenged, and that’s frustrating to watch.

“There’s also a generational thing. Some younger recruits know they can walk away and still be comfortable. Older recruits often just keep fighting until they physically can’t any more.”