Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez reveal abroad plans after 'upset' and share wedding update

Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez
Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez -Credit:PA


Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez have revealed their plans for a second home that will bring them closer to the dancer's family as their children grow up. The couple will soon be returning to screens with a second series of their own reality show.

Gemma and Gorka, who met on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017, appeared in their own reality TV series ahead of the arrival of their second child and showed the pair opening up their lives and Greater Manchester home to the cameras as they documented their second pregnancy journey and the "absolute utter chaos of our day-to-day lives at home juggling work, dogs, toddlers and hormones."

Following the success of the show, and the arrival of their second child in July, it was revealed in January, the pair would be letting the cameras back in to share more of their life unfiltered in the second series of Gemma and Gorka: Life Behind the Lens for UKTV’s free-to-air entertainment channel W and streaming service UKTV Play.

READ MORE: Gemma Atkinson says 'we're doing alright' as she addresses family life with Gorka Marquez

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When it returns on May 6, the series will once again see the couple will open their doors to their private life and offer viewers an intimate look into their world, as they embrace full-on family chaos since becoming a family of four.

Asked if there were any hesitations about doing a second series, Gemma, 39, said: "We had a good chat about it, and we knew with it being six episodes, it'd be more time-consuming. But because I go back to five days on the radio on April 17th, then Gorka goes on tour in May we knew if we were going to do it, this was the only time that we could.

"So, we thought let's grab it while the iron is hot because after this ends, it's back to our reality working. It seemed the right time to do it and too good to say no."

Talking about whether the new series is different to the first, Gemma said "It’s mad that in series one Thiago was just in my belly. All I remember was struggling to even get up the stairs I was so heavily pregnant; it was like I was carrying a baby elephant. I feel all I kept doing was moaning about how uncomfortable I was and wishing he'd come out."

"So now he's here hopefully I'm a bit more pleasant on this one! It'll be nice for people to meet Thiago because Mia is a little sass pot and a perfect little character. She’s incredible, people love her. And it's nice to see the differences in having a boy and a girl, as well as the first and second child."

-Credit:Handout
-Credit:Handout

Gorka continued: "Thiago’s very happy and cheeky, and smiling all the time. He actually smiles more than Mia did. Mia, with people she didn't know, used to be a bit scared but Thiago is nice to everybody, even if it’s the first time he sees someone." Gemma added: "He's very much like Mia, he’s just a lot more boisterous. Mia used to sit and play with toys whereas he just breaks them, throws them, and tries to eat them!"

Meanwhile, the couple have also discussed plans to have a second home available to them in Spain where Gorka is from and his family still lives. Speaking about how Gorka's job on the Spanish version of Strictly has helped him see more of his family, the dancer said: "We had a family trip and saw my parents, who drove down to Madrid as well.

"We had a nice time and it was just nice to show them around." Gemma continued: "We took the crew with us and filmed that. Gorka’s parents were supposed to come over at Christmas and we booked flights for them to come. But Gorka’s dad got pneumonia and was in hospital so he couldn't fly. It was in the press that I'd stopped them coming over and Gorka was very upset with me.

"But the reality was his dad was in hospital with pneumonia. But we talk about that on the show, all the madness that gets said and spread. But they've met him now and they’re coming over again in July, or we might go over there. Mia is obsessed with them. She said to us in Madrid, ‘You and Papa go for a coffee and leave us’. And I wondered if she’d be alright not speaking Spanish properly. They were together for four hours and she loved it. It’s amazing.

Gemma and Gorka when they got engaged in 2021 -Credit:Gemma Atkinson Instagram
Gemma and Gorka when they got engaged in 2021 -Credit:Gemma Atkinson Instagram

"And Gorka’s best friend Jorge lives in Madrid so now he gets to see him every weekend. Gorka and Jorge have FaceTimed once or twice every day since I've known him." Gorka added: "I FaceTime him more than my mum!"

But it has opened up chat about a second home. "[We're] trying to," Gemma shared. "We don't cover that on the show, but we want to get somewhere so that we always have a home from home. Obviously, Mia’s in school now and the back end of the summer holidays Gorka is on Strictly so it would be nice to have somewhere that I can just take them on my own with my family.

"It would help me with mine and their Spanish, and Gorka’s parents could drive down. It's something we're hoping to do by the end of this year. We always go to the same place on holidays anyway because we love Tenerife and Spain. Who doesn't love a Lineker’s bar?"

And Gemma has also shared an update on the pair's wedding plans, three years on from Gorka popping the question on Valentine's Day. "We’d like Thiago to be involved now so we’re going to have to wait another year or so," Gemma told OK! Magazine. "When we first got engaged we said we’ll get Mia walking down the aisle and then Thiago came along... and there’s no time!"

The pair have considered having a quiet wedding but fear their parents would be upset. “We were toying with just going to a registry office and then having a big party after," Gemma added. "But I think my mum would like to see me walk down the aisle so no plans yet but one day it will happen."

Gemma and Gorka: Life Behind The Lens which airs on W 6 May at 8pm.