AJ Pritchard has excitedly announced his engagement to girlfriend Zara Zoffany, after a surprise proposal in London’s Hyde Park. The ex-Strictly Come Dancing pro, 29, confirmed the exciting news at the Smiley Awards when This Morning host Lisa Snowdon gave him a shout-out.
Lisa was interviewing AJ at the Smiley Charity Awards on Thursday night, 20 March, when she asked him: “And just on another note, a little birdie told me, are you engaged? Have you just got engaged?” After nervous laughter, AJ replied: “Officially no.” Lisa then said: “Oh I’ve just put you on the spot,” and AJ added: “But my fiancée is in the room somewhere up there with a lovely ring on. So we are not officially out there, but now we are officially out there.”
A red-faced Lisa joked it was an “exclusive”, and AJ revealed he got down on one knee in London’s Hyde Park. He added: “This is an exclusive! I will now post the video of me and my lovely fiancée in Hyde Park getting engaged. It’s very romantic. It’s very cute. Yeah, it’s out there now, Zara wherever you are.”
Lisa congratulated the happy couple, and AJ replied: “Thank you so much.”
The sweet moment was filmed by AJ’s brother, fellow dancer and Love Island star Curtis Pritchard, who erupted into cheers from the crowd.
As AJ returned to his seat, Zara greeted him with a beaming smile before the couple shared a kiss. Curtis later joked about the unplanned reveal, teasing: “He was trying to keep it a secret, but now everyone knows.”
Prior to the reveal, AJ shared nothing but love for Zara, praising her as “the kindest person” and the perfect support system, reports the Mirror.
The bespoke engagement ring, crafted by one of Zara’s friends, took her by surprise, leaving her “very happy”, according to AJ. Clearing up any rumours, he confirmed that while Paris wasn’t the backdrop for his proposal, their London engagement was nothing short of magical.
As for wedding plans, AJ’s keeping the details on the down-low, opting to “I’ll enjoy the engagement for now.”
Zara, known for her appearances on shows like The Royal World and The Challenge, sent engagement rumours into overdrive after showing off a sparkling diamond in a birthday Instagram post in February. To mark Zara’s birthday, the duo partied with pals at a chic eatery, where the birthday girl eagerly posted pictures on her social media page.
One picture showed Zara holding up her left hand to showcase a diamond ring, alongside a caption that announced: “MISS ENGAGED @zarazoffany.”
The pair have been dating for two years. AJ – who previously dated dancer Abbie Quinnen for four years – met Zara on MTV show The Challenge in 2022.