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Strictly Come Dancing favourite rushed to hospital after ‘being unable to see, talk, or breathe’

AJ Pritchard was 'delirious' due to what he was going through

In latest Strictly Come Dancing news, AJ Pritchard has opened up about the terrifying moment he was rushed to hospital.

Speaking with The Mirror, the 28-year-old dancer revealed he was “delirious” due to a mystery health condition he was suffering from at the time.

It came just months after his then-girlfriend Abbie Quinnen was injured in a TikTok stunt.

AJ Pritchard looks emotional
AJ Pritchard has opened up about being rushed to hospital (Credit: YouTube)

Strictly Come Dancing news: AJ hospitalised

Abbie suffered third-degree burns in 2021 when a wine bottle exploded as they filmed a social media exploit.

At the time, a source told The Sun: “Abbie’s whole upper body went up in flames. It all happened very quickly. It was like something from a horror film.”

Abbie also lost part of her ear and underwent several skin graft operations following the accident.

And, as the UK plunged into lockdown, AJ became Abbie’s carer.

However, while Abbie began to slowly improve, AJ wasn’t doing well.

AJ Pritchard poses with Abbie Quinnen
AJ Pritchard and Abbie Quinnen are no longer together (Credit: Cover Images)

‘I just sat rocking in the corner in the dark’

He’s told the Mirror he suffered “the worst panic attack”, meaning he “couldn’t see, couldn’t talk, couldn’t breathe”.

AJ was subsequently taken to hospital and recalls being deeply affected.

He said: “Even they thought I had some crazy disease, they were going to do a lumbar puncture. I was delirious. There was nothing coming out of me. I just sat rocking in the corner in the dark.”

I realised I needed to talk to somebody. I needed to get this off my chest and try to deal with it.

AJ went on: “Once I’d calmed down, which took days, I realised I needed to talk to somebody. I needed to get this off my chest and try to deal with it.”

Following his realisation, AJ focuses on keeping active to maintain his mental health.

AJ Pritchard and brother Curtis will soon be running a half marathon
AJ Pritchard and brother Curtis will soon be running a half marathon (Credit: Cover Images)

And because of that, the Stoke-born telly fave and his brother Curtis have both been in training for next Sunday’s (April 2) London Landmarks Half Marathon.

Good luck to them both!

Read more: Strictly star Giovanni Pernice leaves fans in hysterics with shock behaviour on Saturday Kitchen

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Robert Leigh
Freelance writer