Strictly Come Dancing star AJ Pritchard and his brother Curtis have spoken out about their horrific nightclub attack.
The dancing duo recounted their Christmas ordeal to Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes on Wednesday’s This Morning, revealing the extent of Curtis’ injuries.
AJ, 24, and Curtis, 22, explained how they had been enjoying a night out and spending some time together when Curtis was “violently” pushed from the side before he was punched.
Curtis said: “I am lucky AJ was there because if I was still stood where I was I would have been in a lot of a worse way. AJ managed to get me out of the situation and carry me off the floor.”
AJ added that it was because Curtis had been “protecting him” and “taking the full brunt”, after AJ realised they were in serious trouble when he saw his brother kicked to the floor.
Curtis added: “We weren't there for trouble at all. We hadn't seen each other for a long time. We wanted to spend Christmas together and have a good time.
"Once it happened the first thing that came to my mind was, 'We're in trouble. AJ is in trouble. We need to get out of this situation.' We weren't there to fight.”
AJ, who reached the semi-final of Strictly last year with Lauren Steadman, confessed that the attack has made him “very aware of certain scenarios”.
He said: “It [the incident] has made me very aware of putting myself in a scenario of larger crowds. Obviously I'm doing the Strictly tour coming up and I will think twice.
"The really sad thing in this scenario was that we were just out to have a good time, and it came from nowhere.”
Curtis was forced to pull out of the new series of Dancing With The Stars in Ireland after the attack, which left him needing surgery on his knee.
This Morning airs weekdays at 10.30am on ITV.
