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Oti Mabuse has taken another sassy swipe at former Strictly Come Dancing co-star AJ Pritchard as he continues to divide the internet.
The dancer, 31, who was part of Strictly from 2016 to 2019, is currently appearing on Dancing With The Stars: The Next Pro, competing to join the roster of the American show.
It’s helmed by Strictly judge Shirley Ballas and her pro dancer son, Mark Ballas, with AJ making the final alongside Adele Zaikman and Selena Hamilton.
However, it’s safe to say he’s riled many people up, including the cast, with remarks about the Strictly brand and his behaviour on the programme.
AJ, 31, recently said to The Sun that he would ‘love to see more British dancers’ on Strictly, adding: ‘We’re in the UK, I’m proud to be British, and there are so many fantastic boys and girls out there who would love the opportunity.’
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He then became embroiled in a feud with Rylee Arnold, 21, having been paired with her for a challenge and criticised for his ‘intense’ training techniques.
This led to AJ’s fiancée, Zara Zoffany, weighing in, arguing that ‘constant critiques’ were only needed because things weren’t right, while Shirley backed Rylee, slamming those who don’t ‘respect’ her without explicitly naming anyone.
Now, two-time Glitter Ball champ Oti, 36, has had her say, having previously branded AJ ‘controversial’.
Taking to TikTok, the South African dancer, 36, was asked for her thoughts on the drama, beginning in a video: ‘AJ the professional is skilled. AJ, the professional, what he has to deliver on the dance floor cannot be taken away; it cannot be denied. It’s a talent. It is a power of his.
‘If you want someone to teach a celebrity how to dance and get the best out of them and produce incredible numbers week on week, that’s who you’re going to get.’
She then began discussing AJ as a person, telling her followers that he can be quite ‘strong-spoken’ and you have to be ‘in the room to experience it’.
Oti mused that what she’s seeing of AJ on TV now is him being ‘really scared’.
