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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Entertainment
Jessica Sansome & Kate Lally

Gemma Atkinson turns 'Wagatha Christie' after close friend sells story

Gemma Atkinson has shared how a close friend tried to sell her pregnancy news to the press after she and fiancé Gorka Marquez originally told very few people they were expecting again.

The former Emmerdale and Hollyoaks actress said it's "sad but true", before revealing she announced the news publicly herself before it could hit headlines.

Gemma met Gorka when she was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017. They already share daughter Mia, who was born in July 2019, together and shared how they are set to welcome a baby boy to their growing family this summer, the MEN reports.

READ MORE: Brookside stars who 'haven't aged a bit' in 20 years

They shared the news alongside a string of black and white images which Gemma and dancer Gorka both posted to their Instagram pages. One image showed Gemma gazing at her blossoming bump before she grinned for a selfie with her husband-to-be and their little girl as they wait to become a family-of-four - or six if you include Gemma's beloved dogs Ollie and Norman.

Gemma, 38, has since been offering her loyal followers updates on her pregnancy but she has now revealed that her pregnancy announcement may not have happened when it did but that she and Gorka "got there first".

Speaking to her Hits Radio co-host Mike Toolan on their drivetime show, Gemma shared how she and her husband-to-be only told about 14 people the news that their family was expanding. Her co-host asked: "Have you ever had anyone really betray a big secret?"

Gemma said: "Yes. Recently. Now I'm expecting, we only told about 14 people and you and producer Matt were two of them. And we told very close friends and family."

She added: "My agent had a call and someone had told a newspaper and the newspaper wanted to run that I was pregnant. And that's why we put it on Instagram because we thought if we could get it out there first, whoever's sold the story won't get paid."

Mike then said: "So I remember you saying that one out of those 14 trusted people, of which I was one and producer Matt was another, leaked it to the press because nobody else knew. And Gemma did this whole 'Wagatha Christie' thing."

Gemma added: "We've done a bit of a whodunnit, Cluedo and we've done some eliminations..." as Mike asked: "Do you think you've worked out who it is?" Gemma replied: "Yeah and we're not telling them. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, Tools."

Former soap star Gemma also shared the video, posted to the Hits Radio Instagram page, and wrote: "Sad but true."

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