Gemma Atkinson has been reflecting on her experiences with solo parenting, while her partner is working away from home.
The former Hollyoaks actress shares two little ones with her fiancé, Strictly Come Dancing professional Gorka Marquez. The couple are parents to their five-year-old daughter Mia and one-year-old son Thiago.
Now, as Gorka continues on his ‘Speakeasy’ Tour with fellow dancer Karen Hauer, Gemma has been sharing how she copes in his absence.
Speaking on the Parenting Hell podcast with Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe, the 40-year-old addressed whether or not Gorka’s work trips hinder their family life.
"I think we're lucky. I always say this: I think the reason we work so well is because we're not together 24/7,” Gemma explained.
"So, when people see it as like, 'Oh, it's a hindrance because he's always away', it's actually good because, like, nearly eight years on, I still miss him when he's gone. We have things to talk about,” she detailed further.
“It does take a village, and it is tougher now Mia's a bit older because she understands that he has to go, so she gets a bit upset when he's leaving,” Gemma added.
Elsewhere, Gemma has also opened up about how Gorka makes a difference to the family-of-four’s daily morning routine.
Earlier today (April 7), Gemma appeared on ITV’s Lorraine, during which she was asked if Gorka is a “calm dad” during the family’s hectic mornings.
“He's a FaceTime morning madness routine at the moment. He's on tour, so he does this thing bless him where he'll FaceTime just as we're ready to leave. So I'm like, 'Ahhhh, can you do it a bit earlier, please, or a bit later?'" she teased.
"But no, in the mornings he is here, he's fabulous. He'll get breakfast prepared and do all that while I'm upstairs, getting them dressed,” Gemma recalled.
"We're such a good tag team, and we're at the stage now, we don't have to say, like, 'Who's doing what?' But he's definitely the chef in the mornings. He prepares everyone's breakfast, which is brilliant,” the TV star concluded, before joking: “I am starving when he is away!”
