Gemma Atkinson announces return to acting after quitting soaps – and new role is worlds away from Emmerdale or Hollyoaks
GEMMA Atkinson has revealed she is returning to acting after quitting Hollyoaks last year.
The star exited the Channel 4 soap for a second time ahead of giving birth to her second child with fiance Gorka Marquez.
She has now revealed she is moving into an exciting new phase of her career.
And it's worlds away from her roles in Emmerdale and Hollyoaks.
Asked by a fan if she'd like to work on a soap again, Gemma, who is now mum to Mia, three, and five month old son Thiago, responded: "I wouldn't be able to commit to soaps long term again even though I loved it at the time.
"It changes day to day so with children its difficult.
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"Especially with Gorks being away from August. I need to work around them ideally which with my radio show that I also love, I can 3 any dramas or films though with a start and end date filming wise I'd absolutely do.
"I'm shooting a British movie in March actually which Is exciting!"
The TV beauty Gemma rose to fame as a teenage actress on Hollyoaks playing Lisa Hunter.
She went on to play Tamzin Bayle in Casualty, Carly Hope in Emmerdale and appeared on I’m A Celebrity.
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She is a host on Hits Radio and is now a writer too.
Her recently published fitness guide, The Ultimate Body Plan For New Mums, includes simple, nutritious recipes and tips on self-care.
The busy mum also has a wedding to plan with Spaniard Gorka, 31, who she met on Strictly in 2017.
She said: “My favourite reality show was Strictly because I met Gorka on there.
“Strictly was the job that changed my whole life. As a result of that show I have my fiancé and little girl.”
The couple were not partnered but became close on tour.
Then, after Gorka invited her to join him for a breakfast, they became inseparable.
Gemma insisted they later went on holiday together to test their relationship.
She said: “It wasn’t secret on the tour. All the cast knew because we were staying in the same hotels.
"We used to just book the same room. It was so nice. You are very well looked after — cars to and from the studio.
“You get your schedule and your call time.
“Everything is done for you and it is easy. We said, ‘This isn’t real life at all. This is a bubble we are very privileged to be in.
“Once this ends, you live in London and I live in Manchester’.
“We booked a holiday to Tenerife. We were together all day every day for three weeks.
“They always say going on holiday with someone is a good test. We went — and we loved it.”
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Gemma’s exes include footie stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Alan Smith, Blue singer Lee Ryan and her Emmerdale co-star Cleveland Campbell.
This is the third time she has been engaged, after footballer Marcus Bent and Britain’s Got Talent star Liam Richards had popped the question, only for the relationships to end.
