BBC Strictly pro says he felt like 'a public servant' in scathing attack over show pay
AJ Pritchard has opened up about how much he was paid whilst working on Strictly Come Dancing
PA/BBC
Former Strictly Come Dancing professional AJ Pritchard has opened up about what the pro-dancers are paid on the show - noting that he personally felt like a "public servant" during his time.
During his time on the show, the 29-year-old was partnered up with Claudia Fragapane, Mollie King, Lauren Steadman and Saffron Barker but never managed to make it to the final.
In March 2020, Pritchard took to his social media and left fans devastated when he announced he was leaving the show to "explore opportunities" outside of dancing.
Posting a series of images with him and his former partners, he penned: "I have some news for you all. Please see the below statement from my team. Also sending my love to everyone in this difficult time, please keep safe. AJ.
"After four years on Strictly Come Dancing, AJ has decided the time is right to leave the show and follow his dreams to explore opportunities in the presenting world alongside his brother Curtis.
"AJ would like to thank the team at Strictly and everyone at the BBC for giving him such a brilliant opportunity. AJ would also like to send his love and gratitude to all who have followed and supported his career. He is excited for you all to join him on the next chapter of his journey." (sic)
AJ Pritchard starred on Strictly from 2016 to 2020
BBC
Four years on, Pritchard has opened up about his time on the show and given an insight into what he got paid on the programme just weeks before the 20th anniversary is set to take place.
Speaking with Johnny Seifert on the Secure The Insecure podcast, he told listeners: "Our parents [and] friends were like, ‘Oh his first year on Strictly. Well, he’s a millionaire straight away.'
"We get paid a favoured nation's wage. If we work out the hours that we’d work from God knows what to God knows when it’s not that good when somebody says they think you’re a millionaire. Well, it would take me 25 years to get to that, them sort of numbers."
He added: "On Strictly, I always thought about my job as being a public servant. [Looking at it] in the aspect of it was to entertain 12 million people live on a Saturday and make them forget about all their troubles for 90 seconds.
"Strictly is great, but it’s not guaranteed. It’s not forever."
Back in October 2023, the Daily Mail reported that the professionals are paid between £35,000 to £50,000 to appear on the show, and can then earn a further £35,000 if they are asked to perform on the Strictly live tour after the series.
The celebrity contestants are said to be paid the same flat fee each, starting at a minimum of £25,000 even if they leave in the first week, then earning an additional £40,000 if they make it to week four, and £60,000 if they make it to the quarter-final.
The semi-finalists reportedly bank £75,000 and the winner is said to get a massive £100,000.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
AJ Pritchard's last partner on the series was Saffron Barker
Since leaving the show, Pritchard has gone on to appear on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! where he was the seventh star to be eliminated from the series alongside Mo Farah.
In February 2021, it was announced that Pritchard would be making his acting debut in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, alongside his brother - Curtis Pritchard - and played the role of Marco.
In October 2022, Pritchard was one of four finalists who completed series 4 of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
The star has also previously revealed that he would love to return to Strictly as a judge if the opportunity came his way, and told the Express earlier this year: "I would love to be a judge, I could get my judging head on.
"I'm always doing different judging jobs around the country. I do love being in that position."