Gemma Atkinson points and Gorka Marquez smiles
TV

Gemma and Gorka’s pledge to each other during Strictly Come Dancing

The show - and family life - must go on

Loved-up Strictly Come Dancing stars Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez are the perfect retort to the show’s so-called ‘curse’.

They weren’t partnered up together when she participated in the 2017 series, making it to the final.

But they have subsequently got engaged and had daughter Mia in the years following.

Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez both smile for the cameras
Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez are engaged and share a three-year-old daughter (Credit: Splashnews.com)

However, for Strictly pro Gorka, 31, the show must go on.

And that means a lot of touring when the BBC One performers strut their stuff away for arena audiences away from TV.

The couple have figured out how to make Gorka’s life on the road work for them, however.

Speaking to Hello! magazine, Gemma recently explained how they deal with the rigorous Strictly schedule and Gorka being away from home.

No Strictly curse to see here!

Former soap star Gemma, 37, reflected on how they deal with professional demands by noting it is a fundamental part of their lives.

However, she added they still carve out family time by ensuring the gap between seeing each other isn’t too long.

And it seems that discipline means they withstand the pressure of being pulled in so many directions.

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Gemma said: “That’s all we’ve known. We got together in the February, and he was off on tour in the March. And then we had a year of him touring and me being at home or travelling with him.

We’ve always made sure we don’t go more than two weeks [apart].

“Then Mia came along and he was on tour again when she was three days old, so we’ve always made sure we don’t go more than two weeks. So, wherever he is on tour we’ll either go stay with him or he’ll come home for a few nights.”

Gemma Atkinson looks concerned on Steph's Packed Lunch
Gemma and Gorka often have to plan their lives together around work demands (Credit: Channel4.com)

‘Go away Gorka’

Gemma also maintain she does miss Gorka during the hectic Strictly season.

But she also joked she appreciates the break from having him around, too.

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Gemma went on: “Because it’s all we’ve known it doesn’t really affect us. We’re almost five years in next year and to still miss him when he’s away after that amount of time for me is good because normally after a year I’m like: ‘Oh just go away.'”

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Robert Leigh
Freelance writer