Gorka Márquez told fiancée Gemma Atkinson to ‘stop using their kids’ to get her own way, moments after she claimed he ‘pushed the narrative she was never nice’.
The ex-Strictly star, 35, and former Hollyoaks actress, 41, who are parents to daughter Mia, six, and two-year-old son Thiago, were discussing family life on the latest episode of their podcast Lost In Translation.
The couple were chatting about pets and Gemma explained how she’d love to get another dog, despite Gorka’s objections, and recently came across pooches up for adoption while at a local fair with their children.
He said: ‘Don’t try and use the kids to get another dog, you’re convincing them so I’m going to have to give in and get another dog, do not do that’
‘That’s the plan then’ she quipped, to which Gorka replied: ‘Get another dog, but I go 365 days [a year] on tour’.
Earlier in the show Gemma welcomed listeners, as well as Gorka, who was recording elsewhere in the country amid his UK tour.
Gorka Márquez told fiancée Gemma Atkinson to ‘stop using their kids’ to get her own way, moments after she claimed he ‘pushed the narrative she was never nice’
The couple were discussing pets and Gemma explained how she’d love to get another dog, despite Gorka’s objections, and recently came across pooches up for adoption
He said: ‘Thank you for being nice to me’ only for Gemma to snap: ‘What do you mean thank you for being nice to you? like I am never nice to you’
‘I am winding you up’ Gorka laughed.
While Gemma wet on: ‘You need to stop that narrative because people are going to be coming for me thinking I am snide to you, I am the kindest person to you, the things I do for you and us are in abundance my friend’.
Earlier this month the couple revealed it was a joint decision for the dancer to quit Strictly Come Dancing after ten years.
Gorka announced in April that he would not be returning to the BBC TV show, amid the pro dance bloodbath, which saw other fan-favourite dancers axed.
After Gemma admitted that the couple, who met on the 2017 series of Strictly, had known the outcome of the ‘bittersweet’ decision ‘for a long time’, she was keen to point out.
‘It wasn’t my decision which I’d like to point out for everybody who messaged me on Instagram saying “you’ve finally got what you want now”.
‘Absolutely not, it was a nice break from you when you were doing it,’ she added.
The ex Strictly star, 35, and former Hollyoaks actress, 41, are parents to daughter Mia, six, and two-year-old son Thiago
The dancer previously took a short break from the show after signing up for a three-week stint as a judge on its Spanish version, Bailando Con Las Estrellas, in 2025.
A schedule clash with Strictly Come Dancing resulted in Gorka appearing as part of the ensemble for the first seven weeks before travelling to Spain for a month, returning to the BBC show for its eleventh week.
Gorka and Gemma explained that juggling his work in Spain with Strictly became too much, and after conversations with their daughter Mia they decided he needed to prioritise his family.
‘When we were talking about it we did include Mia,’ Gemma told listeners. ‘We said to Mia “what would you rather Papa do? Would you rather he work in Spain at weekends or work in England during Strictly?”
‘She said “well I do love watching him dance, but I love having him home more”. And we were like “right, signed, sealed, delivered”.
‘She said to my mum “me, mummy and papa have decided, this year he’s not going to be dancing on Strictly”.’
The couple’s son Thiago has also ‘struggled with you being away on tour more than we thought,’ Gemma added.
