Abbie Quinnen has revealed that her Strictly star boyfriend AJ Pritchard would ‘cry hysterically from guilt’ after her fireball accident.
The professional dancer, 25, needed three skin grafts after a YouTube video she was filming with her boyfriend, 27, went horribly wrong and saw a wine bottle explode and set fire to her hair and clothing.
Speaking about how the incident impacted AJ, Abbie told The Sun: ‘There were times when I would find AJ hysterically crying from guilt and helplessness and that would really upset me!
Tough time: Abbie Quinnen has revealed that her Strictly star boyfriend AJ Pritchard would ‘cry hysterically from guilty’ after her fireball accident
Abbie and AJ started dating in 2018 after they met when she was a dancer on his tour.
She continued: ‘It definitely did affect our relationship but I think mostly for the better as it showed me just how much he cared and loved me.
‘He’s been by my side every step of the way and even now he comes to every single laser, micro-needling or PRP appointment with me, which I am so grateful for! He’s always there holding my hand.’
The duo were attempting to upcycle a wine bottle into a vase when the accident happened.
Accident: The professional dancer, 25, needed three skin grafts after a YouTube video she was filming with her boyfriend, 27, went horribly wrong and saw a wine bottle explode and set fire to her hair and clothing
Abbie previously detailed the fears she felt for her life when the fire started while AJ spoke about how ‘seconds felt like a lifetime’, while he attempted to quell the flames consuming his partner.
She explained on Lorraine that while recovering, she feared she would ‘never look the same’ and could not return to her dream job of performing.
Abbie said: ‘At the time, when I was on fire, I was just thinking, “How can I survive, how can I get myself out of this situation?” so I don’t actually remember it being that painful, I think I was just in shock and trying to think how can I put this out.’
Of the moment, Abbie went on: ‘I think AJ wanted to do this life hack, this home hack, what everyone’s been doing, to find something to do [in lockdown].
Speaking about how the incident impacted AJ, Abbie told The Sun : ‘There were times when I would find AJ hysterically crying from guilt and helplessness and that would really upset me!’
‘We watched the video straight before we did it, to watch step-by-step and everything and unfortunately it just went horribly wrong…
‘I was stood about 4m away from AJ and it went up, straight away, it went straight across the room and it caught my hair instantly and then unfortunately my body as well, my clothes.’
AJ said: ‘Seconds feel like a lifetime. When Abbie hit the floor and tried to roll and grabbed a blanket to put the fire out, at the same time I was grabbing wet towels to put on the areas, calling the ambulance, going to A&E, it felt like a whole year…
‘But you just have to do what you’ve got to do in those scenarios. As soon as I handed you off to the professionals at the hospital then I was a goner, I broke down.’
Scary: She explained on Lorraine that while recovering, she feared she would ‘never look the same’ and could not return to her dream job of performing
‘How can I survive?’: Abbie Quinnen relives freak fire
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He said of her recovery: ‘It’s unbelievable the hospital, the surgeons, the nurses have helped so much. The skin is unbelievable [in how it recovers], while Abbie added: ‘I’m doing OK a lot better than I was, that’s for sure. My face has almost healed now.’
Abbie said: ‘I think when it happened I was just thinking the worst, my face is never going to look the same again, I’m always going to have scars on my body…
‘I’m never going to be able to dance or perform and do what I love doing, so I instantly thought that was it for me. Luckily my face is healing really well.’
Abbie completed the London half marathon in 2021 and is continuing to raise money for burn victims and has an open Just Giving page linked on her Instagram.
Fundraise: Abbie completed the London half marathon in 2021 and is continuing to raise money for burn victims and has an open Just Giving page linked on her Instagram