Gemma Atkinson is apologetic. The moment she picks up the phone, she launches into a string of ‘sorrys’ after our chat was rescheduled for her belated 40th birthday celebration. ‘My birthday was in November, but my girlfriends booked me a spa weekend in January,’ she explains, adding that it was ‘super gorgeous and much needed’. We get it!
With her 34-year-old fiancé Gorka Marquez’s commitments on Strictly Come Dancing, Bailando Con Las Estrellas (the Spanish version of Dancing With The Stars) and dance tours often taking him away from home, it’s down to Gemma to manage the day-to-day parenting of their five-year-old daughter Mia and son Thiago, 19 months. ‘It’s full on but it’s what we’ve known so we’ve cracked on with it,’ she says.
The former Strictly star and actress – whose telly credits include Hollyoaks, Emmerdale and Casualty – juggles motherhood with her Hits Radio job and her podcast The Overshare, now in its second series. With such a busy schedule, no wonder she’s up at 5am to work out. A superwoman, indeed!
We catch up with her to speak Strictly, soaps and stealing baby cows (!)…
How was your weekend?
It was super gorgeous. We had walks with coffees, spa and Prosecco in the hot tub. It was brilliant.
Was Gorka on daddy duty?
Yes. He had them for two nights on his own so I couldn’t really switch off a lot, but we were only 45 minutes away. But he did well, he said it was fine. I think they behave better for him because he’s more relaxed! I was like, ‘now you know what it’s like for me from August to Christmas’.
Who’s the stricter parent?
I'm on my own with them more so I have to set more boundaries, like when it comes to weekday bedtimes. Weekends, it’s a free for all. They can do what they want and go to bed when they want but Monday to Friday, I have to be, ‘It’s time to go to bed now’. Mia will sometimes say, ‘But I want to watch this’ or ‘Can I play this?’ and I'm like, ‘No, your cut off point is done. Go to bed’. But when we're both home like we have been for January, we're quite relaxed. It's been really nice to have Gorka home, but I need to get back into the routine when he goes rehearsing again.
The Overshare is back for a second series. Were you surprised by its success?
I was really surprised. It went to number one, which blew my mind, and people still message me now about it. With series two, I said let’s play it by ear and see how it goes, because I was heavily pregnant in the first series. There were days where I had to take breaks because Thiago was laying in the most uncomfortable position so I had to walk around to relax my back. I felt like I couldn’t really be as invested because I had other things on my mind.
What can we expect from this series?
We've done an episode called Blended and Blessed because the typical husband, wife, 2.4 children and a dog all happy with a picket fence is very uncommon nowadays. There are so many families dealing with divorces and people getting into relationships with their partner’s children so we did an episode on the highs and lows of being a blended family. I'm from a blended family. My mum and dad divorced when I was 10, so it's something I could relate to. We've also had an episode on money matters and the financial struggles people are getting into, as well as one on body confidence, which has so far been my favourite. The expert – who trains people with disabilities and has worked with amputees and children with special needs – is so inspiring and motivating.
Any topics which are off limits?
Not for me. It’s called The Overshare so that’s what we're there to do. I’m always very open and honest about my stories.
How does Gorka feel about you being so candid?
He doesn’t mind because he knows I'm very open and honest. But there are occasions where he’ll go, ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t believe you said that’. There are certain things which is private between us and I would never, ever tell anybody.
Could we see you and Gorka doing a couple’s episode in the future?
Possibly. A few people have said they’d love an episode where they asked me and Gorka questions. I know Gorka would definitely be up for it, 100 percent. It would just be a case of when we can get in the studio together so, potentially down the line.
You’ve done podcasts, radio and acting. What else would you like to do?
I'd love to do more presenting. I used to co-present Steph’s Packed Lunch and I loved that so much. I would love to do a documentary on women and young girls in sport or anything animal related or where I'm muddy on a farm. I love Countryfile so the ultimate dream is anything where I can be outdoorsy.
You should have a word with former Strictly contestant Helen Skelton!
Helen's invited us to the farm a few times. She told me that Mia would absolutely love it. Gorka has been. So that is on our bucket list to go to that farm and meet all the cows and all. I might even steal one! Helen said that I genuinely could put one of the baby cows in the back of my car and drive home with it. I told her, ‘Don’t tempt me, I will’.
Would you like to have a farm?
I'd love to have a sanctuary more than a farm. I would love to have loads and loads of land with loads of pigs, dogs, rabbits and stuff if I didn’t have to work. But I think Gorka would genuinely leave me if that was the case. I think he draws the line at dogs.
Who are you close to from Strictly?
All of them. Aljaž [Skorjanec] and Janette [Manrara] practically live around the corner now, they're very close to us. Karen [Hauer] is Gorka’s dance partner. We had Neil [Jones] and Chyna [Mills] around with Aljaž and Janette and the babies just before Christmas. It's nice that I'm able to keep in touch with everyone via Gorka. When the show's not on, everyone splits off and does their own thing, and then when it starts again, it’s like no one’s been apart.
Is Thiago pals with Aljaz and Janette’s daughter Lyra?
Lyra’s been around a few times and they play really well together when they come round. We all have dinner at the table and they’re both sat at either end of the table, so cute and upright. I think it would be nice that, you know, they can see each other occasionally. And who knows? They might be dancing partners one day.
You started off in acting. Would you like to do that again?
I would love to do a nitty-gritty or police drama like Trigger Point with a start and end date. I loved my time doing the soaps, genuinely loved it, and I wouldn’t be here at all if it wasn’t for Hollyoaks. Emmerdale and Casualty were also brilliant. But with children, juggling that schedule wouldn’t be possible for me now because Gorka isn’t home all the time.
Is it true you wake up at 5am so you can work out?
Only when Gorka is away. My alarm is set for 4.30am and I’m in the gym from 5-6am before the kids wake up around 6.30am otherwise I’ve no time to train. I do go to bed at around 9pm. Very rock'n'roll! I get up at 6.30am when he’s home.
That’s hardcore!
Working out makes me feel good mentally, I’ve got more energy throughout the day and I like taking care of myself. I’m 40 now, so the perimenopause could hit me within the next five to seven years, and I think the more muscle mass we have as women over 40, the better quality of life we have. Do I want to be a 70 year old who’s on bed rest, having to keep sitting down or need help going upstairs or do I want to be a 70 year old who, like my mum, is crawling on the floor with her grandkids, doing her own shopping and being a bad-ass? It’s that quality of life I want so I’m putting the work in now to set the foundations.
Are your kids active?
Mia does gymnastics, dance and swimming and Thiago is like all systems go. Any ball, he's there: kicking it, throwing it. If I can help instill healthy habits in them, that for me is a small win.
Are they showing signs of following in your or Gorka’s footsteps?
Mia is obsessed with gymnastics at the minute and she’s really good at it. She’s got a little gymnast bar. She puts a leotard on and does the routines and stuff. She loves it. She watches the Olympics over and over on YouTube so I think that will be her thing.
With your and Gorka’s healthy lifestyles, sounds like they’re not destined to be couch potatoes…
They do that at weekends. I wouldn’t ever want them to think that’s not allowed because everyone needs that. Sometimes, I want to sit with the duvet on the couch and eat Haribos, so it’s about having that balance. At weekends, Mia has whatever she wants for breakfast, and we normally have a little pick and mix before bed but come Monday morning, she’s back on the omelette and toast.
How do the kids get on?
Mia’s brilliant with Thiago, so so good. I can’t remember when it wasn’t the two of them. She’s constantly saying, ‘Mummy, I do love my brother’ and sometimes if he has a little fall, he’ll run to Mia. I’m sure it won’t be like this all the time. There will be times when they’ll fight and argue, but that’s part and parcel of having a sibling.