Former Strictly star AJ Pritchard brutally roasted over his GB News presenting debut as viewers say 'he should stick to dancing'

Former Strictly star AJ Pritchard has been brutally roasted over his GB News presenting debut.

The professional dancer, 31, shot to fame on Strictly, where he featured from 2016 until his departure in 2019.

He then enjoyed a stint on Hollyoaks and finished runner-up on Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro.

But now, AJ has begun his latest TV adventure with a role on GB News, where he appeared on the channel's The Saturday Five programme.

Arguing 'petty crime is not victimless', AJ told viewers: 'I think the worrying thing [is] if you live or work in a city, you see it all the time.

'Somebody walks into a shop, they pick up their meal deal, they fill their pockets with something, and they walk out.

Former Strictly star AJ Pritchard has been brutally roasted over his GB News presenting debut

The professional dancer, 31, shot to fame on Strictly, where he featured from 2016 until his departure in 2019

'Nobody stops them. Nothing seems to happen. And you might think, 'It's only a few pounds; what difference does it really make?'

'But think of this: thousands of times, every single shop, every single day, and suddenly, it's not so petty at all.'

Following his appearance, viewers were left unimpressed as they took to X to share their thoughts.  

They penned: 'He should stick to dancing. Don’t know why he gave that up',

'What d’ya mean AJ Pritchard has gone from Strictly to Hollyoaks, then an American Strictly wannabe, and now GB News?!',

 'Seriously? Is this real?',

 'Well money is money at the end of the day....',

 'Since when was a dancing professional a journalist?'

But now, AJ has begun his latest TV adventure with a role on GB News, where he appeared on the channel's The Saturday Five programme

Following his appearance, viewers were left unimpressed as they took to X to share their thoughts

However, some viewers thought AJ did a good job, acknowledging that he must've been nervous as it was his first presenting role

However, some viewers thought AJ did a good job, acknowledging that he must've been nervous as it was his first presenting role.  

They wrote: 'Good for him',

'AJ Pritchard did such a great job on GB News today!',

'He LOOKED great (is all I'm saying!)',

I' think AJ will be OK after some time, at the moment you can see he is trying to keep up with and get used to reading off the teleprompter',

'How brilliant is @AJ11Ace what a lovely presenter!', 

'Yeah It must be so nerve racking to go from one profession to another but he grasp the challenge & will grow into the job.'

It comes after Strictly star Karen Hauer weighed in after AJ called on the show to prioritise British dancers over international performers. 

Staffordshire native AJ raised eyebrows when he told the Daily Mail that it is 'really important for a show like Strictly to really benefit the British dancers'.

It comes after Strictly star Karen Hauer weighed in after AJ called on the show to prioritise British dancers over international performers

Following his comments, former dancer Oti Mabuse argued back against claims, reasoning that the 'most popular pros on Strictly have not been British', citing the likes of Aljaz Škorjanec, I'm talking Giovanni Pernice and Janette Manrara as examples. 

Now Karen has revealed that she also disagrees with AJ's remarks, with the Venezuelan dancer – who was Strictly's longest-serving female pro before she quit this year after 14 years – branding the comments 'low'. 

Karen, 44, mused: 'As an immigrant, I've worked everywhere, and I think that our world right now is about seeing different things. 

'Maybe there's dancers here in the UK that don't want to join the show, that haven't come forward. '

Karen continued: 'It's a very unique casting. Not only do you have to be a good dancer, you have to be a good teacher, you have to be good at talking.

'You don't just dance on Strictly, you're a coach, you're a therapist, your communication skills have to be very good.

'There's a lot that goes into being a Strictly dancer. So if you want to come in and audition, that's great.'

Referencing the fact that AJ recently flew over to the States to audition for their version of the show, called Dancing With The Stars, Karen continued: 'You don't hear Americans say we need only Americans.

'We're all immigrants, we're all doing the best that we can, and we're all gonna take the opportunities that we can.

'So yeah, it was a little bit low of him to say that. Don't say that.

'I love AJ, I think he's brilliant, he's very, very talented, and he took an opportunity [in the US] and everyone will take the opportunities that come to them, so all good.

'He's always well spoken, I think he probably just didn't really think about [his comments] too much.'

It comes after AJ told the Daily Mail: 'I think one thing that's really important for a show like Strictly is to really benefit the British dancers.

'There are so many great British professionals who can really use this opportunity to showcase what they can do.

'I think maybe in the past, people have been a bit chill, a bit playing it safe. I never play it safe. 

'Every single year, whether it be choreography, lifts, tricks, like, that's what makes a routine exciting, and that's what makes the audience be like, we really like this couple.'