I'm a Celebrity 2020: Who is ex-Strictly dancer AJ Pritchard? Girlfriend, age and more facts revealed
13 November 2020, 15:52 | Updated: 13 November 2020, 15:58
AJ Pritchard made a name for himself as a professional dancer on Strictly, but he's now swapping the dancefloor for the (sort of) jungle in I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here!
AJ Pritchard is among the famous faces taking part in the 2020 series of I'm a Celebrity alongside the likes of Vernon Kay and Shane Richie.
But who is AJ and what is he famous for? Here's all the important facts you need:
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Who is AJ Pritchard and how old is he?
Meet... AJ Pritchard | I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
AJ Pritchard (the J stands for Joseph) was born on November 5, 1994. He celebrated his 26th birthday in 2020.
He hails from Stoke-on-Trent and started dancing at a young age, learning through his mum and dad Adrian and Debi’s dance school, Pritchard’s Dance and Fitness Academy in Cheshire.
After turning professional at the age of 12, his parents chose a partner for him from their dance school: Chloe Hewitt.
AJ and Chloe went on to represent England in competitions around the world, and in 2013, AJ and Chloe appeared on the seventh series of ITV's Britain’s Got Talent:
Britain's Got Talent 2013 - AJ and Chloe (FULL VERSION)
They reached the fourth semi-final but were eliminated before the live final.
In 2016, AJ joined the roster of professional dancers on Strictly Come Dancing. He appeared in four series in total, with his best result coming in his first year, finishing in fourth place with Claudia Fragapane.
Despite being confirmed in the 2020 line-up, in March he announced that he was leaving the show to pursue a career in presenting.
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Who is AJ Pritchard's brother Curtis?
AJ has a younger brother named Curtis Pritchard, who is also a dancer.
Curtis famously appeared as a contestant on Love Island in 2019, reaching the final with partner Maura.
Curtis recently said of his dancing experience: "I got into dancing through my parents. But what got me seriously in to it was when dad would take me to major competitions he judged. Seeing professionals dance was my biggest inspiration.”
Curtis was set to appear on Ireland's Dancing with the Stars, but he was forced to pull out after he and AJ were attacked by eight men in a Nantwich nightclub.
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Who is AJ Pritchard's girlfriend?
AJ Pritchard has confirmed he's in a relationship, after posting a sweet snap of him and girlfriend, Abbie Quinnen.
According to Abbie's Instagram account, she is currently training at the Urdang Academy, an independent performing arts school based in Islington, London.
AJ's girlfriend is represented by Apollo Artist Management, which looks after rising stars in film, TV, theatre, musical theatre and more.
The Strictly star confirmed their relationship in early July, but the exact date they got together is unknown.
Having said that, he was first spotted with Abbie after Neil and Katya Jones' performance at Somnium: A Dancer's Dream in London.
At the time, AJ addressed the photos, saying: "I’m currently seeing another dancer [Abbie] 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."
The 24-year-old ballroom and latin dancer, whose brother Curtis is currently in ITV2 reality show Love Island, posted a cute couple pic of him and Abbie on holiday in Crete.
AJ captioned the sweet snap: "Feeling HAPPY," accompanied by a string of Emojis.
Abbie also shared the picture on her Instagram account, commenting: "Making memories."
Strictly's pro dancer also shared images of his mum and dad, who were also on the holiday in Greece, so it seems as though things are pretty serious between the pair.