Strictly star Gemma Atkinson lifts lid on what it’s REALLY like to date Ronaldo…and it’s not how you’d imagine
GEMMA ATKINSON found fame and fortune because her mum told a white lie.
The Hollyoaks star and Noughties cover girl was not interested in life in the spotlight until she was taken to the “dentist” — who turned out to be a modelling agent.
Gemma, 37, who grew up in Bury, Gtr Manchester, revealed on a podcast: “When I was about 14, my mum’s friend had said in passing, ‘Your Gem should do some modelling’.
“I was like, ‘There is no chance’. I have never been into my hair and make-up. It didn’t appeal to me. Then, about three weeks later, mum said, ‘You have a dentist appointment, I’m picking you up from school early’. We went past the dentist. I said, ‘Where are we going?’
She said, ‘We’re going to the Manchester Model Agency’. I was in my school uniform, sat there fuming, with a face on. They signed me.”
She soon auditioned for Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, landing the role of “grumpy schoolgirl” Lisa Hunter on her way to becoming a Power Woman of the Noughties.
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She was on the show for four years, going from moody teen to sultry adult temptress.
Engaged to dancer Gorka Marquez, 31, after meeting on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017, they welcomed daughter Mia in July 2019.
Before that, Gemma was engaged to former Brentford and Everton footballer Marcus Bent in 2008; and, in 2013, Liam Richards, who was a semi-finalist on Britain’s Got Talent as part of martial-arts duo Strike.
But her most famous ex is footie superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, whom she dated in 2007 during his first stint with Manchester United.
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‘My life changed with one phone call’
Despite his global fame, they once shared a very laid-back night in. Gemma recalled: “We went to my house, drank cups of tea and watched Only Fools And Horses. Genuinely! I don’t know if he’s into it now but he seemed to enjoy it.”
Loyal Gemma later turned down offers of piles of cash for a kiss-and-tell story. She said: “When we did split up, I got offered so much money to speak about him. And I didn’t want that.”
It hasn’t all been fun times in the spotlight for Gemma. Recalling the heartbreak of losing her father David at the age of 17, she said: “My life changed with one phone call.
“I still remember Mum coming into my room in the middle of the night to tell me Dad had died. He’d had a heart attack.”
Sharing her grief with fans recently, Gemma said: “Grief sucks. It’s difficult and different for everyone but something we all have to go through.
“One thing I know for sure is that the world keeps turning with or without us and time still passes. Dad always used to say to me, ‘Don’t let the b**s grind you down’.
"He always said to keep on going because better times were coming. I learned to live with my new circumstance and way of life without Dad in it.”
After leaving Hollyoaks, Gemma moved into glamour modelling.
She had a boob job in response to weight loss, moving up to a 34E, and became a favourite with the era’s lad mags, posing for sexy shoots with titles including Arena, FHM, Loaded, Maxim, Zoo and Nuts.
In October 2006 she appeared in three titles at once.
My life changed with one phone call.
Gemma Atkinson
That prolific run of mag appearances helped propel her to 32nd place in FHM’s 100 Sexiest Women list in 2006 and she rose to 23rd spot a year later.
Gemma would go on to model for lingerie firm La Senza, as well as fronting Ultimo’s D-G cup range for fuller-busted women.
She subsequently became a reality TV regular too, appearing on Celebrity MasterChef and finishing fifth on I’m A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out Of Here! in 2007.
That year she also took part in the second and final season of ITV celeb talent contest Soapstar Superstar.
Gemma then picked up a role in the West End production of Calendar Girls, appearing alongside the likes of EastEnders’ Letitia Dean and telly veteran .
She returned to a soap in 2015 after joining the cast of Emmerdale as Carly Hope.
Gemma spent two years on the ITV show — and the high-profile role was partly why she got asked to do Strictly Come Dancing in 2017.
And she has not looked back since. While people talk about the “Strictly curse”, for Gemma it was quite the opposite. Paired with pro dancer Aljaz Skorjanec, she made it all the way to the final before losing out to actor Joe McFadden.
But she formed a more lasting connection during the arena tours following the series conclusion, bonding with Spanish dancer Gorka Marquez through their love of the gym and exercise.
When the string of arena shows came to an end the pair confirmed they were in a relationship.
‘I love knowing when I’ll get home each day’
They quickly moved in together, becoming fitness influencers in the process.
Rather than featuring in sexy calendars, Gemma instead published best-selling fitness book The Ultimate Body Plan, aimed at women who want incredible abs like hers.
After Gemma and Gorka had their daughter Mia, who turns three next month, she spotted the opportunity to publish a second version of her Ultimate Body Plan, this time targeting new mums.
She explained: “The first book helped so many people. I still get messages and photos from people who did the transformation and felt so amazing, physically and mentally.
"I thought it would be nice to do a version of The Ultimate Body Plan for women who have had babies and need to find themselves again.”
Gorka proposed to Gemma on Valentine’s Day last year.
But they were recently forced to postpone the wedding as strict Covid rules remained in place in Spain, where Gorka’s family live. It is not the only bump in the road for the couple.
Like many in the public eye, Gemma has had to defend their relationship following jibes from cruel trolls who reckoned she is only working out to “keep” handsome Gorka.
The first book helped so many people. I still get messages and photos from people who did the transformation and felt so amazing, physically and mentally.
Gemma Atkinson
She wrote: “We seem to have gone back a few decades. Note to anyone starting out with a training/health regime.
"Doing it for anyone but yourself is a set-up for failure. Do it for YOU! You deserve to feel your best. Shut out the noise and crack on.”
Combining work with family life continues to be a balancing act for Gemma. Gorka is tied up with Strictly commitments from July until Christmas every year.
Meanwhile, Gemma presents the Drivetime show every weekday on Hits Radio in Manchester.
She describes the job as a “win-win” because it’s “on her doorstep”, just a short drive from her home in the city.
She recently returned to Hollyoaks for a brief stint but has ruled out staying on the show in the long term — or heading back to the Dales — as the hours are too demanding these days.
She has said: “Emmerdale has mentioned me going back.
“But with soaps, the thing people don’t realise is that the cast and crew do quite gruelling hours.
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“What I love now about my job with the radio is I know every single day when I’m going to get home.
“I can plan my family life and fit being a mum around that job.” However Gemma spends her time, she is clearly keeping in tip-top condition.
