Strictly Come Dancing Cast Gathers for Tour Performances

Professional dancer Gorka Marquez attended Strictly Come Dancing’s live tour performances in Manchester this weekend alongside fiancée Gemma Atkinson. The couple enjoyed a child-free evening as the production staged four shows at AO Arena featuring numerous stars from the latest series.

Tour Highlights and Attendees

The 2025 tour lineup includes celebrity contestants Lewis Cope (paired with Katya Jones), Vicky Pattison (Kai Widdrington), Ellie Goldstein (Vito Coppola), Harry Aikines-Aryeety (Karen Hauer), Lauren Oakley (Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink) and La Voix (Aljaž Škorjanec). Guest performers Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin joined the main cast alongside judges Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, and Craig Revel Horwood, with Janette Manrara hosting.

Atkinson shared glimpses of the performances via social media, captioning one post: “Mum & dad are out out!” The couple later joined Manrara and her husband Aljaž Škorjanec – who partnered Atkinson during her 2017 Strictly appearance – for a night out in the city.

Behind-the-Scenes Moments

Manrara posted group photos from the evening with the caption: “Manchester fun! Parents on a night out, 3 ladies with the same birthday, and a photo bomb.” Atkinson humorously referenced new Strictly professional Julian Caillon’s appearance in one image, responding: “Love that king Julian made the 3rd pic! What a night!”

Pattison shared a selfie with Atkinson and Manrara, admitting: “Zero recollection of this being taken” – a sentiment Atkinson echoed in her reply.

Fan Reactions and Future Plans

Supporters celebrated the reunion online, with one commenting: “Letting loose!” while others described the group as their “favorite friendship circle.”

The Manchester events follow Marquez’s recent confirmation that he stepped back from competing in Strictly’s 2025 series, despite being initially announced for his tenth professional season. The Spanish dancer instead returned to judging duties on Bailando con las Estrellas, Spain’s version of the format.

When questioned about future involvement with Strictly Come Dancing following the departures of longtime hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, Marquez maintained a neutral stance: “I never know what the future holds. Production decisions come from above – we find out details like everyone else.”