07 February 2024 , 11:08
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Gemma Atkinson has revealed the message a family member sent her about rumours she and Gorka Marquez were going through a "rough patch".
The soap star and professional dancer met on Strictly Come Dancing, but Gorka's role on the BBC show means they're forced to spend time apart throughout the year. The couple, who got engaged on Valentine’s Day in 2021, share two children Mia, who they welcomed in 2019, and Thiago, who was born last year.
Gemma told Lorraine Kelly that she recently celebrated six years with Gorka and despite them not normally celebrating anniversaries, they took time to enjoy a romantic meal together. She said: “I think because we’re apart so much it feels a lot longer, in a nice way.
"The job he is doing now is fabulous because he is a judge on the Spanish Strictly so he flies to Madrid every Friday and then he flies back every Sunday. He’s like Anton, he said, he’s like the nice judge. So he’s home during the week but on the weekends I get my space, I get time with the kids and he gets to go and do what he loves. It’s perfect.”
Gemma and Gorka recently celebrated their sixth anniversary (ITV)Shutting down rumours of any problems in their relationship, she said: “It was actually my auntie who messaged me and said, ‘Is everything okay?’ and I was like ‘Yeah, yeah it’s fine’ but I get that people find it strange that we are apart a lot but that’s how it’s always been since we met. Every year I know between August and Christmas, and Gorka knows, he doesn’t know where he is going to be.”
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She added: “Because I have done Strictly and I know that side of it, it’s not a shock to me. Army wives, their partners are away for six or seven months and they make out that I’ve been moaning that I’ve been on my own for three weeks but really I am having the best time. You don’t want to be so dependent on each other that you can’t do anything without them and I think that’s what’s great about me and Gorka is that on his own he’s great, on my own I’m great but together it’s like unstoppable.”
A source previously told the Mirror that Gemma had been left frustrated after Gorka was unable to get home during the final six weeks of last year's Strictly They said: “Gemma knows how important Gorka’s work is to him and goes above and beyond to be supportive. But she found it challenging when he wasn’t able to travel back to Manchester to spend time with her and the kids, even when he’d been voted off last year’s series. She’d been hoping they would have more time after the show finished, as he usually opts out of the tour to focus on family.
“But then he signed up to Bailando con las Estrellas, and the plan changed. Gemma knows he’s just wanting to support his family, but it’s disappointing for her. It’s a really rough patch for them. Gorka has also been frustrated because they haven’t had time to travel to Bilbao for Thiago to meet his elderly parents.”
Former Hollyoaks star Gemma met Gorka when she signed up to compete in the BBC dance show in 2017. She was paired with Aljaz Skorjanec – finishing as a runner-up – but hit it off with Gorka behind the scenes. Gemma took to social media to share snaps of her anniversary date night with Gorka as she revealed their daughter's cheeky request.
The soap star uploaded pictures of the couple enjoying a luxurious meal, with the caption: "Lovely little break away from being parents, although face times were regular as Mia told us to 'keep her posted' Genuinely."