They may have been engaged for three years, but Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez are in no rush to say "I do". And as the couple join HELLO! for an exclusive chat, they share a surprising update on their plans.
"I wouldn't want a massive fairytale white wedding. The fewer people, the better," radio presenter and podcaster Gemma tells us. "Ideally, I'd wear a trouser suit, but that might not go down well."
The couple met when Gemma competed on Strictly Come Dancing – on which Gorka is a professional dancer - in 2017 and now share four-year-old daughter Mia and baby son Thiago, whose first birthday is in July.
© UKTV / Two Rivers Media"I'd like to wait until Thiago can walk down the aisle," says Gemma, 39. "We've got this perfect life together, with the babies, the house and the dogs, so we don't feel any pressure to get married just for a certificate."
"We were thinking that we could go to a registry office and do it with just the two of us and then have a massive party. But then, as that got closer, I was thinking that I'd regret not having my sister and niece as bridesmaids, so we were like: 'No, let's not rush. Let's wait until the perfect time and do it then.'"
For now, though, the family of four are busy with daily life, and they recently let TV cameras behind the scenes for a second series of their popular reality show Gemma and Gorka: Life Behind the Lens. Showing "real-life, raw parenting", the show's first series – which followed the later stages of Gemma's pregnancy with Thiago last year – struck a chord with viewers.
"We got a lot of messages from new mums saying how relatable they found it and how much they learnt," says Gemma, who found fame as a teenager playing Lisa Hunter in Hollyoaks. The new series, which starts on W on 6 May, continues to blend reality with educational topics, covering everything from Gemma's postpartum experiences to glamorous nights out at the Brit Awards, a family trip to Spain for Gorka's job and Mia's first days at school.
She may only be four years old, but the little girl is becoming a TV star in her own right and takes the filming process in her stride. "Mia will ask me: 'Are the filmers here today?' She's very chilled with it," says Gemma with a smile. "It's lovely to have the footage to look back on when they're older. It's the perfect home video."
Gorka's work life is also about to get very busy. This week, he hits the road with his fellow professionals for their annual Strictly Come Dancing: The Professionals UK Tour, and the dancer was delighted to take on a judging role on the Spanish version of the show earlier this year. "I'm used to being judged, and now I'm the one doing the judging," he says. "I enjoy giving the dancers advice, because I've been there and I know how it feels. I've learned a lot about how things run and it'll make me better."
After the tour, Gorka is looking forward to some downtime with his family before the next season of Strictly begins. Thiago has completed their family, the couple say. "Definitely no more. We always wanted two," Gemma tells us, adding: "Thiago is a lot more boisterous than Mia. "She used to sit and play nicely with her toys, whereas he'll break and throw them. They're like yin and yang; it's a perfect mix."
Gemma and Gorka: Life Behind the Lens starts on Monday 6 May at 8pm on W and UKTV Play.
