STRICTLY'S Gorka Marquez has tearfully opened up about his struggle at being away from Gemma Atkinson and their daughter Mia.
The dancer, 30. will return home to his actress girlfriend, 36, tomorrow after 87 days of being apart from his family due to strict Covid guidelines for the BBC show.
Tonight Gorka will take part in the Strictly final with celebrity partner Maisie Smith.
But appearing on It Takes Two, he revealed the strain he has felt being apart from Gem and Mia.
Speaking to host Rylan Clark-Neal, he said:'There were times where I thought, 'What am I doing?'"
To which Rylan replied: "Surely getting to the final now with Maisie going the full way is a little bit of a consolation for it?"
Gorka then said: "Obviously there were times where I thought, 'What am I doing? Why am I not going home?'
"It’s very hard to be away from Gemma and Mia.
"But coming into the studio every day and to have [Maisie] there pushing and smiling trying to be her best, it pays off."
Gemma and Gorka became a couple after they fell for each other after meeting on the 2017 series of Strictly and then had their first child together the following year.
Trying to turn his sadness into a positive, he added: 'I am just grateful she's in the final and hopefully it ends on a happy ending for you.
'We can get that trophy for you and it would be my way to thank her for the work.'
Things then took a very emotional turn as Rylan then surprised Gorka with a message from former Gemma and their baby girl.
In the video the actress told her partner how much they loved and missed him, which caused Gorka to break down in tears.
Meanwhile, Gemma has revealed that she has been warned by her mum not to have another baby just yet.
Speaking on Channel 4's Steph’s Packed Lunch she revealed her mother's advice: "My mum’s already said to me, Mia’s too young yet, no more siblings, wait until she’s older… She’s given me the warning!”
Gemma also talked about how excited she is to be reunited with her man after being apart for nearly three months.
When asked how she thinks the show will pan out, Gemma said:“This is the first year where I can’t pinpoint it… It’s so close, they’ve all been so good.
"Jamie’s got so much enthusiasm, Bill’s been on his journey, Maisie and HRVY have been really consistent and got better and better each week.
Gemma explained that while its going to be a tough call on who wins, she is backing Gorka and Maisie for obvious reasons.
She added: "It’s anyone’s game, anyone can win it. Obviously, I’m rooting for Gorka and Maisie and all my votes will be going for them.”
Despite becoming parents quite quickly into their relationship, Gemma told The Sun recently that her and Gorka still have a lot of romance in their relationship.
She said: “People have said to us that after having a baby the passion goes, but I don’t think the passion for him could ever go.
“It’s still there, just sometimes it’s not a priority because you’re tired and you’ve got a baby.
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"If we’ve got a night free and Real Madrid are playing, Gorka goes into the spare room and speaks to his Spanish mates on FaceTime while the game’s on, and I love that because I can put some Epsom salts in a bath and relax.
"Some people try to force the fact that they’ve got a night free so have to be intimate… but if that’s forced, it’s not worthwhile anyway.
"We’re at such a comfortable stage whereby I can do the whole sexy underwear thing and it’ll be great, but equally I can also come in with baby sick on a baggy T-shirt and greasy hair and it’ll still be fine.”
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