Gemma Atkinson has sent an encouraging message to Helen Skelton after applauding her fiance Gorka Marquez for his comments on Strictly Come Dancing this weekend.
Countryfile host Helen and professional dancer Gorka brought a touch of Spain to the ballroom on Saturday night with their traditional pasodoble to Tamacun by Rodrigo y Gabriela which secured the 39-year-old TV presenter a score of 29.
Following their dramatic performance, Craig Revel Horwood told the pair: “I did enjoy it, I thought it was just a little bit too polite, I thought you could have gone more with the power and the passion of it. But I think you did a fantastic, fantastic job."
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Head judge Shirley Ballas also echoed Craig's comments and it appeared to get to Gorka, 34, who had his say when they went upstairs to chat with host Claudia Winkleman and wait for their scores. As mother-of-three Helen paid a tribute to her parents, Gorka stepped in and asked: "Can I just say something?"
As a panicked look stretched across Helen's face, the Spanish dancer continued to his celebrity dance partner: "I know you've have been having a difficult time and I know you've been ...you may feel like you're not beautiful or good enough or anything, but if you don't believe in yourself, I believe in you. Everybody here believes in you."
Cheers broke out from their fellow competitors on the BBC dance contest and Claudia added: "We all believe in you." While Helen looked bashful and cowered away in response to Gorka's words, he hadn't finished.
Gorka then added: "It doesn't matter how many times I say it, or the judges say it, or anybody says it it's only you who is going to be the one who can make the change and the one who needs to believe in you, because you are an amazing woman, very inspirational. An amazing mum and incredible dancer, so believe in you please."
While some Strictly viewers wondered if Gorka was 'annoyed' by the comments from the judges, others applauded him for standing up for Helen - including his fiancee Gemma. She tweeted after the show: "When your man stands up and says what everyone’s thinking…" alongside a GIF of an A-list crowd applauding.
She also took to Instagram to share a snap of her TV screen with Helen and Gorka on it and wrote: "Absolutely!!!! What he said!!!"
But Gemma, who met Gorka after competing in the show herself in 2017 where she made it all the way to the final with former pro Aljaž Škorjanec, wasn't done there. "So proud!" she began ina fresh post alongside a backstage photo of her man and his new dance partner.
"Having the trust and respect from your pro dancer on Strictly is everything. I know first hadn how much we lean on them for support. Especially on the live shows! Aljaz used to have to physically drag me on that floor and reassure me every 8 mins!"
The Hits Radio host, 37, then concluded: "Show them all what you got Helen! When the going gets tough, you get tougher! You got this."
It comes after former Blue Peter star Helen announced back in April that her eight-year marriage to Leeds Rhinos rugby player Richie Myler had ended, four months after she gave birth to their third child. Helen and Richie welcomed their baby daughter Elsie Kate on December 28. They also have two young sons Ernie, seven, and Louis, five.
Richie went Instagram official with new partner Stephanie Thirkill when they attended Wimbledon together this summer. As Helen made her dancing debut on Strictly at the end of last month her ex shared photos of himself and Stephanie on his Instagram and posted about 'family' as he shared a picture of himself and Stephanie with family including her father Leeds Rhinos president Andrew Thirkill.
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