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Gorka Márquez Exits Strictly After 10 Years as Gemma Atkinson Rejects Blame

The couple frame the move as a family choice shaped by schedule pressures.

Overview

  • Speaking on their Lost In Translation podcast, the pair answered social media claims and said no one pushed the decision.
  • They said their daughter, Mia, wanted her dad home more, and Gemma added their toddler has struggled with his time away.
  • Márquez said clashes with his judging role on Spain’s Bailando con las Estrellas made another TV season unworkable.
  • He will keep dancing on the Strictly: The Professionals live tour, though he is leaving the BBC series.
  • The BBC has set the 2026 pro line-up after a wider reshuffle, with Márquez becoming the fifth confirmed departure alongside Karen Hauer, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk and Michelle Tsiakkas.