‘She won’t allow anything to happen to their marriage’: Truth behind Gorka Marquez’s sudden decision to quit Strictly, role wife Gemma Atkinson played… and whispers about his relationship with Jowita Przystal

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For ten years, he’s delighted viewers of Strictly Come Dancing with his expert guidance as he dances with the celebrity contestants.

When Gorka Marquez, the popular and polished Spanish dancer from the BBC’s hit show, announced his departure on Tuesday, many fans were deeply saddened.

A 35-year-old dancer has left the show as part of a recent cast change. They first joined in 2016 and are among several professional dancers who have departed, including well-known faces like Karen Hauer, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk, and Michelle Tsiakkas.

People have been sharing their reactions, but Gorka wanted to assure his fans that he chose to leave Strictly Come Dancing himself.

He announced his decision to retire from Strictly Come Dancing, saying it was time for him to stop dancing.

He told fans he will always be incredibly grateful to the programme and the BBC ‘for everything’.

Being on the show wasn’t just a job; it completely changed my life. Over the last decade, it let me turn my hobby into a career, meet my partner, start a family, and create friendships that will last a lifetime. I’m incredibly grateful for everything.

The retired dancer is excited to join the Spanish version of Strictly as a judge, and he’s looking forward to watching the competition from a new perspective.

He said it was time to relax and watch from the audience, and he hoped to offer encouragement and high scores to the performers.

While many female fans are upset, one person is likely relieved he won’t be back on ‘Strictly’ for a while: someone close to him.

I’m told his wife, Gemma Atkinson, 41, whom he met on the show in 2017 after she competed, isn’t opposed to the idea, though she doesn’t necessarily fully support it either.

I’ve been cheering him on from home for eight years now, watching him compete on TV while I’ve been here in Cheshire raising our two kids, Mia, who’s seven, and little Thiago, who’s three. It’s been amazing to see his career grow, even though it means a lot of time apart.

Gemma has been relieved that Gorka hasn’t been affected by the ‘Strictly curse,’ which has unfortunately led to the breakups of many couples – both dancers and celebrities – who have appeared on the show.

A source close to the show says Gemma and Gorka are very happy and won’t let the show create any problems in their marriage. They’re devoted to each other and have two wonderful children.

Because of the show’s demanding schedule, many families struggle to stay connected. So, Gorka’s wife might actually be relieved he won’t be participating this season, given how intense and busy ‘Strictly’ can be.

There’s no indication that Gorka has ever been unfaithful to Gemma, the straightforward actress from Bury who became famous in the 2000s playing Lisa Hunter on the soap opera Hollyoaks.

Okay, so I’ve been following everything, everything, and apparently, he’s been such a rock for Jowita! You know, the gorgeous Polish dancer? There were all those rumors last year about her and Pete Wicks from TOWIE, a little romance brewing, and honestly, it’s just so sweet to hear he was there for her through all of that. I’m totally shipping their friendship now!

A source close to the show says Gorka and Jowita became good friends. Jowita had a tough time as a single professional dancer, as rumors about her being linked to several men often distracted from her work on Strictly.

She’s still relatively new to Strictly, and it can be a challenging show to learn the ropes of. Thankfully, her partner Gorka’s extensive experience proved incredibly helpful.

Some people speculated that their friendship might become something more, but that idea was quickly dismissed and never materialized.

One of the show’s participants commented on Jowita, saying, ‘She’s very attractive, and if I were Gorka’s wife, I might feel a little insecure, even though Gorka isn’t doing anything wrong.’

The dancer scaled back his involvement with the show last year when he took a position as a judge on the Spanish version of Strictly, and he’s continuing in that role. He did make a return for the final few weeks of the last UK season to perform in group dances.

According to a source close to the show, Gorka is seeking a position that offers more long-term stability. He really enjoyed his time on ‘Bailando con las Estrellas’ and is currently prioritizing that project.

Moving into judging seems like the natural next career move for him, and it’s possible he could even come back to the UK version of the show, but in a completely new capacity.

The BBC has announced that the former professional is leaving the show. They expressed their gratitude for his years of commitment and shared their excitement about his success as a judge on the Spanish show, ‘Bailando con las Estrellas’.

‘We wish him continued success and happiness in everything that’s to come.’

The BBC is facing another setback with Gorka’s exit. This comes after losing a popular personality, particularly notable because he’s maintained a clean record, unlike some of his colleagues, such as professional dancers Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima, who have faced controversies.

In March 2024, Giovanni was removed from the show following accusations from his partner, actress Amanda Abbington. She alleged that he bullied her while they were paired together in 2023.

After a thorough review by the BBC’s lawyers, he was found to be innocent of the majority of the accusations, including all the most severe ones.

Shortly after, another scandal emerged when Graziano Di Prima, a Sicilian ballroom dancer on the same show, was fired for angrily kicking his celebrity partner, Zara McDermott, during a training session. He was immediately removed from the program.

Viewers were upset after noticing Wynne Evans, known from the Go Compare commercials and BBC Wales Breakfast, touch his dance partner Katya Jones’s waist and stomach during a performance. Both Evans and Jones later explained it was a playful, private moment between them.

Last May, Wynne departed his position after The Mail on Sunday revealed his offensive ‘spit roast’ remark about dancer Janette Manrara, which he made at the Strictly Come Dancing live tour launch.

Strictly Come Dancing is facing more controversy, further harming its image as a family-friendly program. The BBC involved the police and began its own independent investigation after a lawyer for professional dancer Anton Du Beke, claimed he saw a celebrity contestant using cocaine.

Police are investigating reports of drug use, but no one has been arrested so far.

People familiar with the situation are now saying Wynne is being blamed for trying to sabotage the show after his departure. According to a source, he’s reportedly very upset about it.

Last year, a celebrity from the show Strictly Come Dancing was arrested on suspicion of rape. While the person’s name hasn’t been released, they were questioned by police regarding accusations of sharing intimate images without consent, reported by another individual.

It was announced earlier this month that no charges would be brought against them.

Gorka’s departure from Strictly Come Dancing is disappointing news for fans of the show.

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2026-04-30 03:20