AJ Pritchard: Strictly star almost REPEATS mortifying blunder with Lauren Steadman

The 23-year-old dancer previously dropped his partner, 25, just moments after learning who he was paired with on the launch show earlier this year. AJ, who joined the Strictly Come Dancing professional line-up in 2016, whirled the Paralympian around after he was announced as her partner, but was left red-faced when he nearly caused her to land in a heap on the floor. On Saturday night, the pair were astounded to be saved from the dance off by the public vote after finishing bottom of the leaderboard.

When Lauren and AJ appeared on It Takes Two tonight, host Zoe Ball, 47, told them: “The public most definitely had your back.”

Clearly still in shock at the incredible support they received from the viewers, Lauren said: “The fact that people at home are really enjoying our dancing and the journey — I’m so grateful.

“Words can’t describe enough how much we were overwhelmed by the support of the people at home,” AJ chipped in, admitting: “We were ready to dance again.”

“He nearly dropped me down the stairs,” Lauren laughed.

“I screamed, I picked you up, I threw you around,” AJ recalled. “I forgot we were standing on the stairs.

“It was nearly a disaster,” he told Zoe, adding: “But the support is overwhelming.”

Despite having nearly repeated his launch show blunder by coming dangerously close to dropping his partner again, AJ was as delighted as the World Champion to have made it through to next week’s quarter finals.

The good news came after they found themselves at sea at the bottom of the leaderboard, scoring a disappointing 23 points for their Salsa, 16 marks less than Faye Tozer’s triumphant Waltz.

It was a double blow for Lauren and AJ when they also failed to impress the judges in the Lindy-Hop-a-thon.

The competition, which saw all seven remaining couples take to the dance floor at the same time to battle for additional points, may have descended into chaos when it came to reading out the scores, but the pair nonetheless received the lowest bonus mark of just one.

In contrast, Ashley Roberts, 37, and her partner Pasha Kovalev, 38, scooped seven extra points, while Faye and Giovanni Pernice, 28, held on to their lead with six more on top of their 39 for their Waltz.

Strictly stars Lauren and AJ will be hoping to put last week’s struggles behind them for Musicals Week next weekend as they take on a brand new dance style: the American Smooth.

On It Takes Two, they revealed they will be performing to the soundtrack of I’m In Love With A Wonderful Guy from South Pacific.

“We get the bonus of adding in lifts and being out of hold a little bit more,” AJ teased. “We are excited.

“It’s going to be something special,” he promised fans.

Tackling the American Smooth Viennese Waltz this weekend, the duo have high hopes after previously achieving their best score for their Viennese Waltz earlier in the series.

Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday at 7.05pm on BBC One.

source: express.co.uk