Gorka Marquez almost fainted watching Gemma Atkinson's difficult labour

Gorka Marquez has confessed he almost fainted at the sight of blood while watching Gemma Atkinson give birth.

The former Hollyoaks actress underwent an emergency caesarean section and then suffered a haemorrhage when the couple welcomed their daughter Mia in July.

Professional dancer Marquez, 29, told Loose Women: “The whole bedding was completely red. I see Gemma was feeling very poorly, the bed was completely red, 10-15 doctors rushed in they pushed me in a corner, so I see everything.

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“I started to feel very bad. I had to go in a chair because I was feeling dizzy. I was with my head down like this, I was like I’m fine, I just need water… I was like, I’m fine!”

Atkinson, 34, laughed: “One [doctor] was massaging my stomach and he [Gorka] was on a chair with his head between his legs…”

Speaking of her birthing experience the actress said: “It was a success because Mia’s here and I’m here as well. But I’d planned to do a water birth, but you can never plan, they come how and when they want. They induced me in every way they could, nothing happened. Suddenly the contractions started. But with every contraction Mia’s heart rate dropped. It got too low, so it was an emergency C-Section.

“Had the section, Mia came all good. A few hours later I had a haemorrhage. I was numb from the epidural, I wasn’t aware of the bleeding, I couldn’t feel anything, It was like someone flicked a light switch. I said to Gorka, ‘I feel shocking!’”

Marquez added: “It’s the most frustrating situation. I didn’t know what was happening, doctors rushing in, no one tells me anything until the end. But she [Gemma] did so well I was so proud of her.”

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The couple met during Strictly Come Dancing in 2017, although they were not paired together for the competition.

Marquez said: “It wasn’t until after Strictly finished that we started to hang out properly together. During Strictly time we didn’t see each other.

“On tour we started to spend a lot of time together. We both love training, we both love brunch.”