GEMMA Atkinson opened up about her relationship with Strictly fiance Gorka amid ‘rocky patch’ rumours.
The 39-year-old returned to work yesterday on air after welcoming their son Thiago in July last year.
Gemma and Gorka, who met during the 2017 series of the BBC One competition, also share four-year-old Mia.
Her radio co-host Mike Toolan was keen to know how she was coping with the young ones while Gorka is away on tour.
Gemma said on Hits Radio: “He’s away for five weeks now who knows where, he’s all over the shop.
“It is tough and it isn’t – it takes a village they say with kids and I’m very fortunate that me Mum and me sister are very close by.
“But it’s all me and Gorka have known, so sometimes it is easier for me to get into the routine with the children whilst he’s not here and then he comes back and ruins the routine.
“But he’s nice to have around the house!”
The mum-of-two admitted that there is one thing in particular that she misses when he’s not around – his cooking.
She added: “Gorka is a fantastic chef and really good in the kitchen so the hardest thing is I have to make me own meals now which is awful isn’t it?!
“And the school run is manic because I have to get Thiago sorted and if he does a poonami I have to deal with it now whereas Gorka could step in while I sorted Mia.
“So, I feel like I need to be an octopus but it’s fine it’s only two!”
At the start of the year Gorka was busy on the Strictly tour, and then shortly after took on his role as judge on Spanish TV show Bailando Con Las Estrellas.
The programme recently wrapped up, meaning that Gorka won’t have to travel back and fourth to Spain anymore.
Despite missing him, Gemma doesn’t mind the distance.
She previously said: “If I’m with someone 24/7, I get really bored of them and they do my head in.
“Even looking at the back of their head can annoy me! I love my own space, and whenever he’s on Strictly, I see it as my time on my own with Mia and Thiago. Mia sleeps in my bed and it’s so nice.
“Some women message me and say: ‘How do you cope? He’s never there!’ I mean, come on. There are army wives who don’t see their partners for months, so a couple of weeks here and there is nothing.
“He flies out on the Friday and his flight home on Sunday lands at 10am. So, compared to Strictly, it’s actually very easy.
“And it’s bizarre how you can feel so connected, even though you’re physically apart. It’s six years now, but I still miss him when he’s away and we still have things to talk about when we’re together.”
Back in February the pair looked incredible on a rare date night after ‘rough patch’ rumours.
It came shortly after the couple were said to be battling ‘tension’ due to Gorka’s work commitments.
Gemma took to her Instagram story to break her silence on the rumours, insisting that they were ‘not true’.
She responded to a fan who asked if she’d seen them, saying: “Yes we did see them stories. There was a few floating around weren’t there which is news to us.
“It is what it is isn’t it. Happens all the time dunnit. It’s not true.”
She continued: “I think it’s because it was made out he’s working away a lot. He goes away Friday afternoon and comes back Sunday mornings.
“He’s hardly bloomin’ overseas is he. Crikey it’s less than 48 hours if anything it gives me a bit of peace at weekends. No offence Gorks.”
Clarifying her remarks, she added: “Well he is overseas but you know what I mean.”
Gemma and Gorka started dating in 2017.
The pair got engaged in 2021.
