27 October 2023 , 21:21
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Strictly Come Dancing fans have voiced concerns that pro Gorka Márquez is 'mentally checking out' of the gruelling competition.
The Spanish dancer was booted off the latest series of the BBC reality show with partner DJ Nikita Kanda just two weeks into the season, after failing to impress the judges with their performances of the Jive, the Charleston and the Waltz. The disappointing outcome likely came as a major blow for Gorka, who reached the final last year with partner Helen Skelton. The 33-year-old, who has been dancing since the age of 12, also nearly won the competition in 2017 with X Factor winner Alexandra Burke and again in 2020 with EastEnders star Maisie Smith.
Strictly viewers are now convinced that Gorka, who has two children with British actress Gemma Atkinson, has mentally resigned himself from the show after his early departure on this year's season.
Fans are convinced Gorka is mentally done with Strictly (PA)"I reckon Gorka is going to leave either this season or next season," one person speculated. "Now hes got 2 kids at home as well as the dogs and Gemma, I know I would feel awful leaving 2 little ones and a partner at home for weeks on end."
Another suspected that Strictly bosses had assigned Gorka to Nikita deliberately "so he could have a bit of a paternity leave" after welcoming the birth of his second child in July.
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Others claimed that Gorka appeared 'uninterested' in this show this year, and one person even suggested that he didn't want be there at all. "Gorka needs to smile, he's in the background with a face of thunder, like he's been held hostage," they commented.
Gorka has shut down rumours he's planning on leaving Strictly in the past, after confused fans took to his Instagram to mourn his resignation.
"Can’t believe you’ve left Strictly," one person commented beneath a post of him and Gemma on his grid last year, to which he replied: "Don’t believe it," with a cheeky winking emoji.
This isn't the first time Gorka has set the record straight on Strictly. He was accused of looking "fuming" over Hamza and Jowita's win of the competition last year, leaving him and partner Helen as runner-ups.
"I wasn't fuming but I wanted Helen to finish the season with the cherry on top,” he later told BBC Radio 5. “But I was very happy for Hamza and Jowita – they've been amazing."