AJ Pritchard and his brother Curtis Pritchard have responded to the savage backlash they faced after a recent cameo appearance on Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks.
The TV ruffled more than a few feathers after being cast in the show despite their lack of acting background.
While both are professional dancers, Curtis most recently found fame on ITV reality show Love Island.
The star, who later appeared on E4 dating show Celebs Go Dating, claims he wasn’t aware of any negative response to his stint on Hollyoaks – despite his scenes turning into viral memes on social media.
Curtis, 25, said: “Up to this moment I felt absolutely nothing about it because I hadn’t realised anybody had said anything.
(Image: Channel 4)
“We always get that, we always get different things and for me it’s always about positivity.”
Meanwhile, AJ, 26, added to OK magazine: “I’ve learned to go for the positives and not the negatives.
“If someone’s got constructive criticism, 100 per cent that’s great, but if it’s just negativity then it’s not something I’m going to waste my energy and time on that.”
(Image: Channel 4)
As well as being mocked for their acting skills by viewers, many actors also hit out at Hollyoaks’ to cast the duo – alleging it was simply due to their fame.
Former EastEnders star Michael Greco, who played iconic character Beppa DiMarco from 1998 until 2002 took to Twitter to brand the duo ‘shocking’.
Meanwhile, former Hollyoaks star Gerard McCarthy, who played Kris Fisher on the soap shared a clip of the duo on the show before writing: “The next time a producer/casting director says the words ‘but they have a big social media following’…. Just point them in the direction of this absolute car crash!’
He later added: “I think people can watch this and learn so much from it. How “not” to act. Shocking.”
Actor Parry Glasspool, who played Harry Thompson until recently on the show, posted a long condemning statement on his official Instagram story about the decision to cast AJ and Curtis.
The star penned: “To be clear, I have no problem with people using reality TV to accelerate a career in which they’ve trained or shown interest in.
(Image: E4)
“But it’s agonising to watch. The pain of knowing that anyone else landing a part on a successful soap takes training, previous credits, a load of castings and auditions before you are even considered for a role. In this day and age, it’s probably easier to jet off to Majorca and go on Love Island than to be in with a chance of securing acting jobs.
“When young actors look on after countless rejections to see the part they went for has been snatches up by someone who “wants to be the kind of guy that makes everyone coffee in the morning”, it’s enough to make you want to give up.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
