AJ Pritchard has admitted that acting ‘isn’t his forte’ as he quits the profession after just one role.

The professional dancer, 28, took on a nine-episode run as dancer brothers Marco and Jacob in Hollyoaks in 2021 alongside his Love Island star brother Curtis, 27.

But viewers were less than impressed with their skills as their scenes at the time went viral due to their ‘wooden’ acting.

Now AJ has told The Star: ‘Hollyoaks were so happy with everything. That’s all that matters.

‘I enjoyed it but I feel like acting isn’t my forte.’

Over: AJ Pritchard has admitted that acting ‘isn’t his forte’ as he quits the profession after just one role

Throwback: The professional dancer, 28, took on a nine-episode run as dancer brothers Marco and Jacob in Hollyoaks in 2021 alongside his Love Island star brother Curtis, 27

In May 2021 AJ and Curtis finally reacted to the backlash they’d faced for appearing in the Channel 4 soap. 

The brothers – who are professional ballroom dancers-turned-reality stars – played twins Marco and Jacob in the long-running show.

Other soap actors at the time – such as erstwhile EastEnders star Michael Greco and Hollyoaks’ own Parry Glasspool – hit out at the Pritchards, and slammed casting directors for employing them, when there are trained actors looking for acting jobs.

In a chat with OK! Magazine, Curtis claimed he wasn’t aware of the slew of memes and clips circulating the internet branding their scenes ‘painful to watch’ as the brothers plotted to ruin the career of dance teacher Trish, played by Denise Welch.

‘Up to this moment I felt absolutely nothing about it because I hadn’t realised anybody had said anything. We always get that, we always get different things and for me it’s always about positivity,’ he said at the time.

AJ added: ‘I’ve learned to go for the positives and not the negatives. If someone’s got constructive criticism, 100 per cent that’s great, but if it’s just negativity then it’s not something I’m going to waste my energy and time on that.’

Two scenes in particular courted attention online – with fans claiming at the time they were not sure whether the brothers were plotting to murder Trish or throw her a surprise party.

The boys were seen seething over her, with the viral clip featuring AJ dancing along the street having stolen Trish’s ‘little black book’ of contacts. 

Oh no: But viewers were less than impressed with their skills as their scenes at the time went viral due to their ‘wooden’ acting (Curtis pictured)

Speaking out: Now AJ has told The Star: ‘Hollyoaks were so happy with everything. That’s all that matters. I enjoyed it but I feel like acting isn’t my forte’

Not amused: Former EastEnders star Michael Greco, 50, who is best known for portraying Beppe DiMarco on the BBC soap between 1998 and 2002, branded their performance ‘shocking’ 

Former EastEnders star Michael Greco, 50, who is best known for portraying Beppe DiMarco on the BBC soap between 1998 and 2002, branded their performance ‘shocking.’

Michael tweeted his harsh review in response to former Hollyoaks star Gerard McCarthy, who criticized non-actors being hired based on their ‘social media following’.

Gerard, 40 – who is best known for playing Hollyoaks’ Kris Fisher for four years – penned: ‘The next time a producer/casting director says the words ‘but they have a big social media following’…. Just point them in the direction of this absolute car crash!’

Michael responded: ‘I think people can watch this and learn so much from it. How ‘not’ to act. Shocking.’

It was announced in February 2021 that the brothers would be joining the Hollyoaks cast as twins who help open a dance school on the soap.

Parry Glasspool – who played Harry Thompson in Hollyoaks – took to social media to write: ‘To be clear, I have no problem with people using reality TV to accelerate a career in which they’ve trained or shown interest in.

‘But it’s agonising to watch. The pain of knowing that anyone else landing a part on a successful soap takes training, previous credits, a load of castings and auditions before you are even considered for a role. In this day and age, it’s probably easier to jet off to Majorca and go on Love Island than to be in with a chance of securing acting jobs.

‘When young actors look on after countless rejections to see the part they went for has been snatches up by someone who ‘wants to be the kind of guy that makes everyone coffee in the morning’, it’s enough to make you want to give up.’

These opinions were echoed by viewers across the country at the time, with one taking to Twitter to write: ‘Don’t get why AJ Pritchard and his brother Curtis are in #Hollyoaks their acting is terrible.’

One fan said: ‘I’m so sorry and hate to say but #ajpritchard and Curtis let’s say maybe better sticking to dancing. It’s very stiff and cringe. Sorry nothing against the lads of course.’

A second wrote: ‘Curtis and AJ Pritchard really do be ruining Hollyoaks for me,’ while a third went as far as to say: ‘AJ Pritchard is the worst actor I’ve ever seen.’

Talking about originally being cast on the soap, AJ said: ‘I can’t believe we will be featuring on Hollyoaks, we have grown up with the show on TV and it’s always been one of our favourite serial dramas.

‘Our characters are fantastic, and we can’t wait for everyone to see how we bring them to life.’

Curtis added: ‘I am so excited to be working with my brother AJ on a show we grew up watching! I am also excited to continue our journey together with Channel 4 & E4.’

Soap stars: Michael was replying to former Hollyoaks star Gerard McCarthy, 40, who criticized non-actors being hired based on their ‘social media following’ (pictured in 2015)

Gerard penned: ‘The next time a producer/casting director says the words ‘but they have a big social media following’…. Just point them in the direction of this absolute car crash!’

Iffy: Parry Glasspool – who played Harry Thompson in Hollyoaks – also slammed the boys for their acting

Not happy: Fans were not satisfied with AJ and Curtis’ acting skills, and quickly started talking viral scenes online

Hmmmm: AJ and Curtis joined Hollyoaks in 2021 as twin brothers who helped open a dance school

The talented brothers had already had lots of practice on TV, however this was their first acting gig.

AJ shot to fame as a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing, which he left in 2020 and appeared on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! that year.

While his younger brother Curtis become a household name after a stint on Love Island, where he was coupled up with Maura Higgins.

He then bagged the role of receptionist on TV competition The Greatest Dancer and  also appeared on Celebs Go Dating on E4.