Following Saturday's announcement of this year's Strictly Come Dancing pairings, Gemma Atkinson has given her seal of approval to boyfriend Gorka Marquez's celebrity dance partner Maisie Smith!
READ: Gemma Atkinson muses over the idea of getting married to Gorka Marquez
Appearing on Tuesday's episode of Steph's Packed Lunch, the former contestant confessed she wasn't all that surprised with the choice as the couple had a hunch it could be the EastEnders star due to similar heights.
"The pros genuinely had no idea who they were meeting," she shared. "Gorka had no clue, he said to me he thought it was going to be Maisie or Caroline because of the height, he said, 'that's all I'm guessing.' So, it was genuine surprise for all of them."
WATCH: Gemma Atkinson's verdict on Gorka Marquez’s new Strictly partner Maisie
She added: "I think they'll do really well, she's lovely, she's a great dancer. But apparently, all the contestants are this year. I always say to him,' is there anyone who's a bit naughty… you know?' He said, 'absolutely everyone is lovely this year.'"
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Gemma and Gorka, who are parents to their one-year-old daughter Mia, met on the set of Strictly back in 2017, but the pair kept their romance under wraps until the series ended. Unusually for the show's love stories, they weren't dancing partners - Gemma was coupled with Aljaz and Gorka danced with Alexandra Burke.
© Photo: BBCGorka Marquez and Maisie Smith have been teamed up on Strictly
Meanwhile, host Steph McGovern also commented on the recent report that Bill Bailey has previously had dancing lessons when he was a kid.
MORE: Gemma Atkinson wells up live on-air after Gorka Marquez's emotional surprise
However, Gemma went on to dismiss that this is an advantage, saying: "I did dance classes when I was seven and I still didn't win, so it goes to show it doesn't always help."
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