Gemma and Gorka met after she appeared on Strictly (Picture: Getty Images)
Gemma Atkinson has addressed rumours her partner Gorka Márquez is poised to leave Strictly Come Dancing.
The Spanish professional dancer joined the BBC’s juggernaut series in 2016 and has been paired with stars such as EastEnders’ Tameka Empson and Katie Piper.
The 32-year-old has also reached the final of the competition series three times, first with Alexandra Burke, followed by Maisie Smith and former Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton.
But after missing out on the Glitterball trophy this year to wildlife filmmaker Hamza Yassin, speculation mounted Gorka, who is engaged to Hollyoaks actor Gemma, had quit the series.
A source had said Gorka had got the ‘seven-year itch’ and was keen to pursue other projects after fans had pointed out he was ‘fuming’ when he wasn’t crowned champion with Helen.
They continued to The Sun: ‘He looked so devastated last week because he knew the final might be his last chance of taking home the Glitterball, which had eluded him twice before.
Gorka and Helen reached the finals of this year’s Strictly (Picture: BBC)
‘Gorka has become an established figure in the contest and a name in his own right, which could allow him to go on to bigger things.
‘There’s no suggestion of any bad feeling between him and the BBC.
‘It remains to be seen if producers will now offer him a deal enticing enough to sign up for next year’s show.’
Gorka and Helen consistently wowed the Strictly judges (Picture: PA)
However, Gorka’s fiancée Gemma, with whom he shares daughter Mia, three, has rubbished these claims.
On her Instagram Stories on Saturday, she shared one of the reports and wrote: ‘Keep being sent this. Wish I hadn’t said to all backstage crew “see you next year” now.
‘Obv this isn’t true at all! Same as it wasn’t true about Gio last year. Merry Christmas!’
Gorka hasn’t quit Strictly according to Gemma (Picture: Instagram)
Gemma has previously admitted she and Gorka ‘a little resentment’ towards each other when he returned to work after she gave birth.
Speaking to Christine Lampard on ITV’s Lorraine, Gemma said: ‘He had to go on tour when she was three days old and again, he got grief for it, “who chooses work over their child?” but he had a contract and it wasn’t just his show, it was production that he’d be letting down.
‘He has to keep his social going for the show, get tickets sold, so I was looking at all the stuff about him and Giovanni [Pernice], Aljaž [Škorjanec] together and I was sat at home with my stitches, the nurse coming round to change my dressing, Mia crying, and I was just like oh my gosh this is my life now and nothing’s changed for him.
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‘I remember speaking to my mum about it and she was saying typically the guys go back to work, things change, people are in different situations and some are parenting alone. It’s just your situation to deal with.’
Strictly is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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It’s not true guys!
