Former Strictly Come Dancing pro AJ Pritchard has urged Dan Walker to "focus on the dancing" amid trolling.
The BBC Breakfast host made it through last week on the BBC One show - with Tilly Ramsay leaving the programme after a dance-off with Rhys Stephenson - and has been subjected to heavy trolling since.
There have even been claims of a 'fix' by Strictly viewers, who slammed Dan for remaining in the competition as they claimed that "better dancers" have left the show first.
But former Strictly pro AJ has told Dan to just focus on the dancing as he's "improving" each week.
Speaking on ITV's Good Morning Britain, AJ said: "It's a really hard one. It comes down to being a professional most of the time, because when you start a Monday morning, it's like, 'We've done really well and done what we wanted to do.'
"And just focus on the dancing because at the end of the day, we work in this industry. All you can focus on is yourself. Dan will be focusing on that dancing and trying to put aside the other stuff."
He added: "I don't read the comments. Did we dance well? Yes. Did they vote for us? Yes. We're through to next week and we're happy. Let's keep focusing on ourselves because the rest is out of your hands."
Dan recently hit back at trolls who claimed it's a "fix" that he's still in the show.
"Thank you to everyone who is sending lovely messages & enjoying us having fun on #Strictly," he wrote.
"And to the few who say… ‘Just leave’, ‘Aren’t you ashamed?’, ‘You’re a disgrace’, ‘It’s a fix’ (which I don’t get) or ‘Who is voting for them?’ IT’S A TV SHOW! See you in the 1/4 finals."
It is not the first time AJ has defended Dan, as he revealed to The Mirror that the star is taking on all constructive criticism.
Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, AJ said: "Nobody has done themselves an injustice, everyone has done themselves proud. I think certain people said at the weekend, Dan got a four but I was like - Dan's improved each week, he's taken constructive criticism.
"He's quite clearly enjoying himself and at the end of the day, is he entertaining to watch?"
He added: "Well the people at home have been voting for him."
