There’s good news in store for Strictly Come Dancing fans, as Gorka Marquez is reportedly returning this series.
The Spanish dancer, 32, was reportedly considering quitting the series after seven years on the show.
Fans also noted Gorka’s disappointed expression when he lost out on the Glitterball last year. Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystal took the top prize.
Is Gorka Marquez returning to Strictly?
However, producers have reportedly lured Gorka back to doing another series.
“He simply felt like he’d been with the show for a long time and had never enjoyed a victory,” an insider told The Sun.
“So he’s spent the last four months mulling over his future and, despite the disappointment of defeat last year, is still in love with the show. Unlike other pros who’ve left Strictly prematurely and not enjoyed the success they’d hoped for, Gorka realises how fortunate he is to be on the biggest show on TV.”
The ‘lucrative spin-off work’ associated with Strictly also enticed Gorka to stay.
Gorka’s 2023 plans
It’s set to be a busy year for Gorka, who is engaged to Gemma Atkinson, 38. The pair share daughter Mia, three, and will be welcoming a baby boy later this year.
There was concern Gorka was going to quit the series, after he skipped out on this year’s Strictly tour. However, Gemma revealed the real reason why he took some time out.
“I was very fortunate that Gorka was off for the whole of January,” she told Fabulous. “It was great having him at home on the days where I was super-tired. The Strictly team were fantastic letting him not do the tour. He didn’t want to be away when I was quite poorly.”
He is doing the Strictly Come Dancing: The Professionals tour in May, then he’s booked off June and July [around when the baby is due] so we can be at home together.
“Then hopefully he’ll start the show again in August.”
Read more: All of the Strictly Come Dancing babies coming this year
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