Gemma has been engaged to Strictly skilled Gorka since 2019, however the couple have but to stroll down the aisle.

Gemma Atkinson has opened up on the rationale she hasn’t but married her Spanish fiancé, Strictly professional dancer Gorka Marquez, regardless of having two kids collectively, Mia and Thiago.

In a heartfelt letter written for Father’s Day earlier this 12 months, the 40-year-old spoke to her dearly missed father David, who tragically died from a coronary heart assault at 52 when Gemma was simply 17.

Marking her twenty fourth Father’s Day with out the person she remembers ‘daily’, Gemma admitted that the considered strolling down the aisle with out him is an excessive amount of to bear. And his devastating absence is without doubt one of the causes she stays single.

She disclosed: “I am getting married, Dad! Sooner or later, anyway. I feel one of many causes we have not accomplished it but is due to you. We have come shut many instances, however one thing stops me.

“I am now the final Atkinson within the household line and if I quit my identify, there is not any extra of us. I do not need to lose that remaining tie to you. Not having you stroll me down the aisle… possibly I will simply keep engaged for a bit longer.”

Talking about her future husband, Gemma movingly acknowledged that she believes her late father would have been an enormous fan of him and their two kids whom, she sadly acknowledges, he won’t ever get to satisfy, reviews the Mirror.

She continued: “I feel you would be actually pleased with my alternative of fiancé. You’d get such a kick out of Gorka being an expert dancer – you really liked to bop – and I do know you’d adore your grandchildren. Similar to you adored me.”

She went on: “I want you’d obtained to satisfy him. There have been many instances the place he would have benefitted out of your recommendation. You travelled a lot for work and Gorka must be away lots too.

“I keep in mind when Mia was born, he needed to depart for a tour when she was three days previous. It broke his coronary heart however I do know you’d have helped him. I can hear your voice, saying, “I get it pal, I needed to do the identical. You may get by means of it.

“I typically really feel unhappy that he by no means obtained to shake your hand. You solely ever met my highschool boyfriend. That is exhausting for me.”

The previous Strictly contestant and radio presenter admits she ensures her father’s reminiscence stays alive in her younger family.

She disclosed: “I discuss to Thiago and Mia about you on a regular basis. They name you GanGan David. We have got an image of you in the home and Mia thinks GanGan David lives on the moon and you may’t get out.

“She at all times asks us how we are able to rescue you. When our canine died it was devastating, however Mia took consolation within the reality you have been taking care of them someplace. I actually consider you might be.”

In January, Gorka gave followers a glimpse into their marriage ceremony preparations, telling followers that he and Gemma will stroll down the aisle as soon as little Thiago turns into extra unbiased.

He clarified: “We are going to do it, it is simply not in the mean time. We’re excellent like this, particularly with having the youngsters. Thiago will not be unbiased but so we do not need to go into the marriage and be carrying him or midway by means of the marriage he begins screaming that he solely needs mummy, you already know?!”.

In a latest growth, Gemma revealed that her and Gorka’s six 12 months previous daughter, Mia, has been identified with epilepsy following absence seizures.

On her Simply As Nicely, The Girls’s Well being podcast, Gemma shared that their eldest youngster was experiencing episodes of misplaced consciousness and spacing out.

Because of this, she is now receiving therapy for epilepsy. Epilepsy is a neurological dysfunction that causes seizures and, whereas it will possibly’t be cured, there are remedies out there to assist sufferers handle signs and the situation itself. Absence seizures are a sort of seizure the place people lose consciousness of their environment.

She knowledgeable her listeners: “My daughter is underneath therapy for epilepsy. She has the absence seizures, she would not match or something, it is only a stare out they usually’ve obtained so a lot better a 12 months in.”