The series was filmed months before viewers saw it. Zaikman had kept her victory secret since April, while the finalists waited for the episodes to air. For the final challenge, they received just three days to teach their celebrity partners two routines.
Pritchard was paired with former Dancing with the Stars winner Charli D’Amelio. Before the result, he said the finale had reminded him that dance should be about “having fun, spreading joy” and leaving viewers with a smile.
His route to the US contest followed four years on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. Between 2016 and 2019, he partnered celebrities including Mollie King and Saffron Barker. Seven years after leaving the British series, The Next Pro offered a possible return to a permanent prime-time ballroom role.
Why did Adele Zaikman win the professional place?
Zaikman took first place ahead of Pritchard, with Selena Hamilton finishing third. TV Insider, E! News, Good Morning America and TVLine all reported the same final ranking.
Green said Zaikman won because “she never dropped the ball once”, describing her as consistent, magnetic and knowledgeable. He added that any of the finalists could have become “a great pro”, which is flattering but does not create additional vacancies.
The judges offered Pritchard a more mixed assessment. Shirley Ballas said his Viennese waltz choreography did not make full use of D’Amelio’s abilities. Her son, judge Mark Ballas, nevertheless called Pritchard a “fantastic ballroom dancer”, while Derek Hough praised the trust that Pritchard and D’Amelio had established in very little time.
Not every observer agreed completely with the final decision. CinemaBlend’s reviewer considered Hamilton’s freestyle the strongest routine of the finale, although the review still described Zaikman as a deserving winner.
Zaikman celebrated on Instagram, saying she was overwhelmed by the support and grateful for an experience that had challenged her, taught her and brought new friends. Her reward is a professional position on Season 35, which begins on September 15.
Why did AJ’s teaching style cause tension?
Pritchard’s technique was not the only subject under examination. His approach to teaching became a storyline after professional dancer Rylee Arnold worked with him during the semi-final.
Arnold said Pritchard had initially seemed lighthearted but was “kind of intense” in rehearsals. She told the judges that his feedback felt like “constant critique” and questioned whether he could give a partner enough affirmation.
Mark Ballas responded that he was concerned by the feedback. Fellow professional Ezra Sosa later offered a more measured view, saying Pritchard was entitled to provide criticism while Arnold was equally entitled to explain how that criticism made her feel. An outbreak of balance on reality television was briefly achieved.
Zoffany initially defended her fiancé in a social media comment, telling Arnold that Pritchard would not have needed to criticise her “if everything had been right”. She later apologised on TikTok and said she wanted to take accountability, put the disagreement to rest and celebrate the finalists.
She also criticised viewers who had sent Pritchard abuse, questioned his sexuality and, in her view, accepted a “villain edit”. Zoffany argued that his demanding approach came from confidence in his craft and a desire for routines to be technically correct.
How did Oti Mabuse respond to the controversy?
Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse also discussed the difference between “AJ the person” and “AJ the professional” after criticism of his intense training methods.
The debate arrived shortly after Mabuse challenged separate comments Pritchard had made about wanting to see more British dancers on Strictly. He had told The Sun that the United Kingdom had many talented dancers who would welcome the opportunity.
Mabuse replied that many of the programme’s most popular professionals had come from outside Britain. She named Aljaž Škorjanec, Giovanni Pernice, Janette Manrara, Vito Coppola, Nikita Kuzmin, Katya Jones, Vincent Simone, Ola Jordan, Kristina Rihanoff and Natalie Lowe among the dancers who helped define the series.
“Strictly is different,” Mabuse said. “Our professionals are global because that global mixture is what makes us beautiful and is what makes us special.”
Her response placed Pritchard’s US audition in a slightly awkward light. The British dancer was himself seeking a place on an American programme whose professional cast has long drawn talent internationally.
Will AJ still appear in Season 35?
Pritchard is not expected to receive a troupe position or another substantial role when Season 35 begins. Green told TVLine that eliminated contestants could return for a short group performance during the September 15 premiere, but he did not anticipate larger jobs for them.
ABC had not yet confirmed the full celebrity and professional pairings. Advance reports linked Zaikman with The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives personality Conner Leavitt, although the network had not formally announced that partnership by September 2.
Green said ABC could consider another season of The Next Pro, potentially with changes to the format. The first series certainly tested candidates more extensively than the show’s established professionals had been tested before them. Whether televising the recruitment process produces better professionals, rather than simply more storylines, remains less clear.
For Pritchard, the immediate outcome is simpler. He delayed his wedding, completed a months-long competition and reached the final, only to miss the available contract by one place. There may still be a premiere cameo. It is not quite the career move he arranged his life around.
