'WE FEEL SO GRATEFUL TO BE ON THIS JOURNEY AGAIN'

AS THEY AWAIT THE BIRTH OF THEIR SECOND CHILD, GEMMA ATKINSON AND GORKA MÁRQUEZ SHARE THEIR JOY

- LESLEY JONES

They're a down-to-earth showbiz couple who kept us laughing and loving the insights into their home life now Gemma Atkinson says she and Gorka Márquez feel "incredibly blessed" as they await their baby son's arrival in the summer.

Announcing their pregnancy news on Instagram back in January, the delighted couple revealed their three-year-old daughter Mia was equally as excited about the news of a sibling.

"Our baby boy will be joining our family later this year. We feel so grateful to be on this journey again. Mia is absolutely thrilled! Although we may need to do some negotiating on names, as so far she's adamant he's going to be called Barbie."

Model and actress Gemma, 38, who got engaged to Strictly's Gorka, 32, on Valentine's Day 2021, said recently that she never thought she would find true love and have children and that she expected she was "going to be on my own with loads of dogs".

But falling head over heels for the professional dancer when they met under the glitterball in the 2017 series changed her life forever. She and Gorka set up home together in Manchester, welcomed their daughter in July 2019 and kept fans delighted by sharing both hilarious and touching snaps of their domestic life.

Animal lover Gemma, who is president of Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary in Lancashire, considers her beloved cocker spaniel Ollie and spoodle Norman to be an important part of their family. She revealed that when she went into labour, both dogs were supporting her. Sharing a snap of her sitting on the floor next to Ollie and Norman, she commented, "Gorks took this picture a few hours after my waters had broke. They didn't leave my side, they were totally aware their little sister was on her way."