Curtis Pritchard's Self-Mocking Hollyoaks Recreation on Love Island Wins Over Viewers
Curtis Pritchard had Love Island fans in absolute stitches during Saturday's episode of All Stars Best Bits, as he boldly recreated his widely criticised Hollyoaks scene with fellow contestant Ciaran Davies. The moment showcased Pritchard's ability to laugh at himself, turning a past acting misstep into a highlight of the reality show's compilation episode.
The Infamous Hollyoaks Scene That Went Viral
Back in 2021, Curtis and his brother, former Strictly Come Dancing star AJ Pritchard, took on roles as twins Marco and Jacob in the long-running Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks. Their performances quickly became an internet sensation, but not for the reasons they might have hoped. Viewers and critics alike described their acting as 'wooden', with scenes rapidly going viral across social media platforms.
Particular attention was drawn to Curtis's delivery of the line, 'How's Trish?', which left audiences utterly perplexed. The ambiguity of the scene led to widespread speculation – were the brothers plotting to murder longstanding character Trish Minniver, or were they organising a surprise party for her? This confusion became a source of endless memes and online mockery at the time.
A Light-Hearted Recreation on Love Island
Nearly five years later, Curtis demonstrated he could look back on the experience with humour and grace. During the Love Island: All Stars Best Bits episode, he teamed up with Welsh Islander Ciaran Davies to reenact the notorious scene. The parody began with Curtis delivering the line, 'Finally, what time do you call this? What would mum say?'
Ciaran responded with perfect comedic timing, replying, 'Probably "Stop whinging".' Curtis then recited his iconic line, 'True, how's Trish?', to which Ciaran deadpanned, 'Ugh, heartbroken. She thought she was getting engaged. Couldn't be any further from the truth.'
The exchange concluded with Curtis struggling to contain his laughter as he said, 'Well... that's made my day that,' while Ciaran maintained a serious demeanour, adding, 'Doesn't compare to what we've got planned for her.' The two Islanders then collapsed into fits of laughter, with Ciaran expressing his delight, saying, 'I am so happy we've done that.'
Viewer Reactions and Social Media Praise
Love Island viewers found the clip utterly hilarious, with many taking to social media to share their amusement. Numerous fans joked that the parody scene was actually superior to the original Hollyoaks moment, while others praised Ciaran's surprisingly convincing acting.
Notable viewer comments included:
- 'Honestly better acted than on the actual show itself,'
- 'Oh this is TOO funny!!'
- 'How is ciaran so so so much better than Curtis and Aj??'
- 'What in the GCSE drama island is going on,'
- 'Fair play to Curtis for being able to laugh at himself, he’s got a good sense of humour and I rate that,'
- 'These two are the best islanders. I love the unserious side of them!'
- 'Actually a better version of the original.'
Industry Backlash and Professional Criticism
The original Hollyoaks scenes featuring the Pritchard brothers attracted significant criticism from established soap actors at the time. Industry professionals expressed frustration that roles were given to reality television personalities rather than trained actors.
Former EastEnders star Michael Greco and Hollyoaks actor Parry Glasspool were particularly vocal in their condemnation. Glasspool, who played Harry Thompson in the soap, took to social media to express his dismay, writing about the challenges faced by trained actors competing for roles against those with large social media followings.
Gerard McCarthy, known for his four-year stint as Kris Fisher in Hollyoaks, described the original performance as an 'absolute car crash', while Michael Greco remarked that people could learn 'how "not" to act' from watching it.
The Pritchard Brothers' Response to Criticism
Following the initial backlash, AJ and Curtis Pritchard addressed the criticism they received for their Hollyoaks appearances. In an interview with OK! Magazine, Curtis, then 25, claimed he was unaware of the memes and clips circulating online that branded their scenes as 'painful to watch'.
Curtis stated, '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.'
AJ added his perspective, saying, '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.'
Reflecting on their original casting, AJ had expressed excitement at the time, saying, '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 similarly shared his enthusiasm, stating, '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.'
The recent Love Island parody has demonstrated how Curtis Pritchard has developed a more light-hearted approach to his past acting venture, winning over audiences with his self-deprecating humour and willingness to engage with his own internet legacy.
