Gemma Atkinson slams ‘offensive’ Strictly curse rumours as she opens up about coping with Gorka’s busy schedule
GEMMA Atkinson has clapped back at “offensive” suggestions over the Strictly Come Dancing “curse” and her fiance Gorka Marquez.
The former Emmerdale actress, 39 – who shares two children with the BBC show professional, 33 – didn’t hold back when she discussed the Spaniard’s latest pairing.
While Gorka‘s next partner is a surprise, Gemma admitted continual speculation got her back up.
The so-called “Strictly Curse” is a phenomenon that is said to hit celebrities and their dance partners during their time on Strictly Come Dancing – including the lengthy training process beforehand.
Due to the harsh schedules, sexy dance moves and close quarters with their partners, some off-screen romances sometimes suffer as a result.
Now Gemma has told Woman magazine: “I am always asked about the Strictly curse.
“It’s quite offensive – not to me, but to Gorka and his celebrity partner, or to anyone on the show.
“You are more or less saying to them ‘are you going to cheat on your partner this year then?’
“If I walked into an office and asked that, everyone would be like ‘why would I do that?’
“But because it’s a TV show we are asked every year ‘Is this the year he will cheat?’
“Nobody says to Gorka ‘is there a Strictly curse at home?””
The Hits Radio DJ previously opened up on feelings of “anxiety” while her man is away.
Gorka was paired with DJ Nikita Kanda in the previous series.
Gemma previously told The Metro: “Oh gosh, no! The only worry for me is where his partner is based.
“He could be doing a rumba with Miss World for all I care, as long as she lives up north and he can come and help me with the school run after rehearsals!
“I think if we were together all day, every day, 24/7, we’d probably hate it.
“It’s been like that for our whole relationship, so I guess it probably works because of that, we don’t know any different, really.”
Gemma and Gorka met during the 2017 series of the BBC One competition, when the northern lass was paired with Aljaz Skorjanec.
They share daughter Mia, aged four, and welcomed their son Thiago in July last year.
Last month, the duo revealed their wedding was on hold.
Under fire
It came shortly after the couple were said to be battling ‘tension’ due to Gorka’s work commitments.
Gemma took to her Instagram story to break her silence on the rumours and insisted that they were”‘not true.”
She responded to a fan who asked if she’d seen the speculation and said: “Yes we did see them stories. There was a few floating around weren’t there which is news to us.
“It is what it is isn’t it. Happens all the time dunnit. It’s not true.”
She continued: “I think it’s because it was made out he’s working away a lot. He goes away Friday afternoon and comes back Sunday mornings.
“He’s hardly bloomin’ overseas is he. Crikey it’s less than 48 hours if anything it gives me a bit of peace at weekends. No offence Gorks.”
Clarifying her remarks, she added: “Well he is overseas but you know what I mean.”
She recently told her radio show “who knows where he is, he is all over the shop” during his time working in Spain.
