Gorka Marquez shares what daughter 'misses' as he spends five weeks away from home and Gemma Atkinson

Gorka Marquez has shared what his daughter 'misses' while he's away as he's set to spend the best part of five weeks away from home. The Strictly Come Dancing star is heading out on tour with a number of co-stars from the BBC One dance contest.

The Strictly Come Dancing The Professionals tour kicks off on May 1 and the 36-date tour will include two nights in Greater Manchester. Alongside stops in London, Birmingham, Blackpool, Cardiff and Glasgow, the show, which marks the largest line-up to date, will arrive at the Lyric Theatre in Salford on May 14 and 15.

As well as Gorka the other talented professional dancers taking part are Karen Hauer, Dianne Buswell, Nancy Xu, Graziano Di Prima, Carlos Gu, Vito Coppola, Nikita Kuzmin, Jowita Przystal, Neil Jones, Michelle Tsiakkos and Luba Mushtuk.

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While Gorka's been back in rehearsals and will soon be hitting the road with his co-stars, his fiancée Gemma Atkinson has returned to her day job on Hits Radio, nine months after welcoming the couple's second child, son Thiago, into the world last July.

During her return to the drivetime slot, which starts weekdays at 4pm, co-host Mike Toolan asked Gemma how she was coping with the two children with Gorka heading into rehearsals before hitting the road.

Gemma said: "He’s away for five weeks now who knows where, he’s all over the shop. It is tough and it isn’t - it takes a village they say with kids and I’m very fortunate that me mum and me sister are very close by. But it’s all me and Gorka have known, so sometimes it is easier for me to get into the routine with the children whilst he’s not here and then he comes back and ruins the routine."

She joked: "But he’s nice to have around the house! Gorka is a fantastic chef and really good in the kitchen so the hardest thing is I have to make me own meals now which is awful isn’t it?!"

Bury-born Gemma added: "And the school run is manic because I have to get Thiago sorted and if he does a poonami I have to deal with it now whereas Gorka could step in while I sorted Mia. So, I feel like I need to be an octopus but it's fine it’s only two!"

Gorka, meanwhile, has also spoke about being away from home and specifically shared what his four-year-old daughter misses about him being away. The 33-year-old said: "When we’re in London or Manchester on the tour, Gemma will bring Mia to see me. She loves to see Daddy dance. I try to get home on odd days the rest of the time. I’m a judge on the Spanish version of Strictly so I’m used to being away from home.

“But I miss the family, of course, and they miss me, particularly Mia who likes me to take her to her swimming lesson on a Saturday morning. Thiago’s too young at the moment to understand the passage of time. But this is all part of the job and I’m doing something I love.

Speaking about the tour itself, Gorka said: "I've danced on all the Strictly Pro Tours and, for me, it’s the most fun part of being involved with Strictly. I love the Saturday night show but it’s in a studio. What’s special about the tour is that it’s in a theatre in front of a live audience. Nothing beats being able to look into their eyes and see their reaction. I really like bringing out the best in my celebrity partners, but the Pro tour gives us the opportunity to showcase ourselves."