Former Strictly Come Dancing professional AJ Pritchard has claimed he stepped down from the show as he felt it was too restrictive when it came to pursuing other opportunities.

AJ quit Strictly after four series earlier this year, saying at the time he hoped to “follow his dreams to explore opportunities within the presenting world”, alongside his famous brother Curtis Pritchard.

In a new interview with The Sun, he admitted that he felt that there were things that the show “wouldn’t allow” him to do, which inspired his decision to leave the show.

“I did four years of Strictly, which I absolutely loved, but it was definitely the right time for me to venture into new things,” AJ explained.

“Strictly wouldn’t allow a lot of things to happen that I wanted to happen, so it meant you do have to do that leap, and for me it’s not a risk, it’s something I’m passionate about.”

He also said: “I’m the sort of person — for example coming off Strictly — I make decisions, then I just deal with them and I go with them 100 per cent.”

AJ has been heavily rumoured to be one of the contestants on the upcoming series of I’m A Celebrity, which will be set in a castle in Wales this year rather than the Australian jungle, due to coronavirus restrictions.

The professional dancer was recently seen at what is believed to be a photo-shoot for I’m A Celebrity, alongside other rumoured stars like Vernon Kay and Beverly Callard.

Speaking to the newspaper, AJ dodged questions about whether we’d soon be seeing him on the line-up, but did say: “I’m intrigued as to how it’s going to work this year, not being in Australia in the sunshine.

“I do like the sun, so I don’t know how the celebrities will take it. I think whoever wants to do that show would prefer it in a hot country.”

Meanwhile, Strictly Come Dancing’s first live show of 2020 aired over the weekend, with the first of this year’s couples being sent home in Sunday night’s results show.