Dancer Curtis Pritchard has revealed he considered a cha-cha-change of career – and almost joined the Army.
The former Love Island contestant was on the brink of signing up for the forces eight years ago, after his dancing prospects were on the wane.
But the quickstep came back into his life with a two-year stint on Dancing With The Stars – Ireland’s version of Strictly Come Dancing.
And the quickmarch? It never quite happened.
Until now, of course – he is seen here as a contestant in TV’s gruelling Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
Curtis, 26 – brother of former Strictly dancer AJ Pritchard, 27 – tells how he tried his hand at being a chef and even worked as a dog walker after dancing opportunities dried up in his late teens.
He recalls: “It really was a sliding doors moment, my life could have been very different.
“I wanted to go into the forces when I was 18. I was going to go into the forces because I’d kind of stopped dancing.
"I love helping people, saving people, protecting people and trying to help out my country and the people around me. So I thought the forces, the Army, would be a great way into this.
“It would also teach me discipline.
“It would teach me a whole new skill, I’d be learning a lot.
“I’d be entering a whole new family. That’s what enticed me and intrigued me to do it. I actually went to go and sign up. I was with my mum when I went to do it. We went to find out loads about it.
“And then something just brought me back to dancing and I went on to Dancing With The Stars in Ireland and then that took over my life.”
Curtis was on the series for two years while his brother was on Strictly. In 2019 Curtis went on dating show Love Island – and finished fourth.
Both brothers are currently on Channel 4 ’s Celebrity SAS – along with 12 other well-known faces including EastEnders actress Maisie Smith, 21, TOWIE’s Ferne McCann, 32, and ex-Olympian Fatima Whitbread, 61.
Curtis said he relished the chance to take on the show’s challenges, including jumping out of a helicopter – but was left in tears.
He says: “I broke down and cried in there, absolutely.
“This has happened to me in every single TV programme I’ve ever been in, there’s always been one day where I break down and cry. In Love Island, I think it was the third day.
“Celebs Go Dating, I think it was a week in there, when my Nan passed away, which then made me break down. And in SAS, I think it was day three I broke down and cried.
“There’s always a day where you have to let your emotions release, let loose and therefore you can then build yourself up and start this new, stronger version of you.
Celebrity SAS is on Channel 4 at 9pm tomorrow.
