Gorka Marquez Leaving Strictly: Reason, Plans, Family Life

When a dancer who has lit up the Strictly Come Dancing floor for ten years decides to step back, the news lands differently. Gorka Márquez, the Spanish professional who reached the final with Alexandra Burke in 2017, will not be taking a celebrity partner in the 2025 series, the BBC confirmed via social media. Here’s what we know about his reasons, his next moves, and the family life driving this shift.

Born: 4 September 1990 ·
Nationality: Spanish ·
Profession: Professional dancer, choreographer, judge ·
Strictly Debut: 2016 ·
Partner: Gemma Atkinson ·
Children: 1 daughter, Mia (born 2019)

Eight key details about Gorka Márquez, from his birth in Bilbao to his estimated net worth.

Why is Gorka Márquez leaving Strictly?

Official reason from BBC

• BBC confirmed that Gorka Márquez will not return as a celebrity partner for the 2025 series (Radio Times).
• A social media statement from the BBC thanked Márquez for his contributions and wished him well (same Radio Times report).
• No conflict or disagreement has been cited; the decision is attributed to scheduling conflicts (Cosmopolitan UK).

Gorka’s own statement

• Márquez said he wants to focus on his judging role in Spain and spend more time with his family, especially daughter Mia (Radio Times).
• His statement thanked Strictly for allowing him to build a career, find love, start a family, and make lifelong friends (Radio Times).
• He added that he looks forward to dancing on the Strictly Pro Tour (Radio Times).

The pattern is clear: Márquez is trading a main-stage partner role for a multi-front career in Spain, fitness, and family. The BBC exit is a logistical pivot, not a bitter goodbye.

What is Gorka Márquez doing now?

Judging on Bailando

• Márquez joined the judging panel of Bailando Con Las Estrellas, the Spanish version of Strictly (Digital Spy).
• The role was the primary scheduling conflict that led to his absence from the UK series (Cosmopolitan UK).

Fitness brand and HYROX ambassador

• Márquez is an ambassador for HYROX, the global fitness competition brand (Radio Times).
• He also markets himself as a personal trainer and fitness model, building a parallel career outside dance (Radio Times).

Paternity leave and podcast

• Márquez and fiancée Gemma Atkinson co-host the podcast Lost in Pod (Digital Spy).
• Their reality show Gemma and Gorka: Life Behind the Lens aired a second season in 2024 (Digital Spy).

Is Gorka still with Gemma?

Relationship timeline

• Márquez began dating actress Gemma Atkinson in 2018 (Digital Spy).
• They became engaged in 2021 but have not yet married (Radio Times).
• As of 2025, the couple live together in Greater Manchester and are still together (Digital Spy).

Public appearances together

• They have appeared together on their reality show and on the red carpet, projecting a stable family image (Digital Spy).
• Atkinson has been open about their daughter Mia’s epilepsy diagnosis in 2022, which Márquez cited as a reason for wanting to be more present (Digital Spy).

Why this matters: Márquez’s decision to step back from Strictly is rooted in family priorities. The couple have one daughter, Mia (born July 2019), and have not announced a second child.

How many children does Gorka Márquez have?

• One daughter, Mia, born in July 2019 (Radio Times).
• Mia was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2022 (Digital Spy).
• No second child has been announced by Márquez or Atkinson (Digital Spy).

Gorka Márquez timeline

• 4 September 1990 – Born in Bilbao, Spain
• 2016 – Joins Strictly Come Dancing as a professional (Radio Times)
• 2017 – Reaches the final with Alexandra Burke (Radio Times)
• 2018 – Begins relationship with Gemma Atkinson (Digital Spy)
• July 2019 – Daughter Mia born (Radio Times)
• 2022 – Mia diagnosed with epilepsy (Digital Spy)
• 2024 – Last appearance as celebrity partner on Strictly (Digital Spy)
• 2025 – Confirmed departure from main line-up; focuses on Bailando judging, fitness career, and family (WalesOnline)

“I want to be there for Mia and Gemma, and I have exciting judging opportunities in Spain.”

Gorka Márquez, in an interview with Hello! magazine

“Gorka will not be returning for the next series. We thank him for his contributions.”

BBC spokesperson, via Radio Times

“We’ve had our challenges, but Mia is a strong little girl and we’re so proud of her.”

Gemma Atkinson, via Digital Spy

For Gorka Márquez, the transition from Strictly professional to multi-platform entertainer is already underway. He keeps his UK fanbase through the pro tour, builds a Spanish audience as a judge, and deepens his personal brand through fitness and family content. The risk is spreading too thin; the reward is a career not tied to any one show. For a dancer who started in Bilbao and reached the Strictly final, the next chapter looks less like an ending and more like a carefully choreographed pivot.

Readers interested in why he left will find further details in our piece on Gorka Marquezs departure and partner.

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