Rylee Arnold has received a public apology after drama surrounding her comments about AJ Pritchard sparked a heated online reaction. AJ’s fiancée, Zara Zoffany, previously defended him and criticized Rylee on social media. Now, Zara has addressed the backlash and shared her regrets. She says she never intended to make Rylee feel hurt.
Zara Zoffany took to TikTok to issue a public apology to DWTS pro Rylee Arnold following intense fan backlash
The drama began during an August episode of Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro. Rylee partnered with AJ and shared concerns about his teaching style. She stated that he felt “kind of intense” and gave “constant critiques.” Rylee also said she wondered whether AJ could give enough affirmation to a dance partner.
Zara later responded to Rylee’s comments in a lengthy Instagram Story. She argued that AJ would not need to criticize Rylee if everything in rehearsals had gone right. Zara also claimed Rylee accidentally hit AJ in the head, leaving him with a slight concussion and requiring a visit to a physio. She said AJ’s criticism had always been constructive and hoped Rylee could take something useful from his feedback.
In an Aug. 31 TikTok video, Zara apologized directly to Rylee and explained why she reacted. She said that she had been frustrated throughout the season over comments made about AJ Pritchard and what she called his “villain edit.” “I just want to make it clear that I never said she wasn’t qualified,” Zara said. She added that comments about Rylee’s qualifications appeared to stem from Ezra’s response while defending his best friend.
“Rylee, from the bottom of my heart, I am truly sorry if I made you feel like a certain type of way,” Zara said. “That was never my intention,” she continued in her apology. Zara also shared that she got hateful comments after her Instagram Story. “I really don’t think that the message I wrote deserved this, and I feel like I don’t deserve this,” she said.
For now, Zara’s apology appears to be an attempt to move past the controversy and ease tensions with Rylee.
