NEARLY every couple has one person who is stricter with the kids than the other – and Gemma Atkinson claims in her family, it is fiancé Gorka Márquez.
The couple opened up on their joint podcast, and revealed Spanish dancer Gorka, 35, once made a controversial threat to their toddler which prompted him to obediently go to bed.
Speaking on an episode of their Lost In Translation show, the pair – who met on Strictly in 2017 – discussed who is the “stricter parent” to daughter Mia, six, and son Thiago (Tio), two.
Gorka immediately replied that he thought he was the “strict one” and said he recently told his son a phrase which persuaded him to go to bed when he didn’t want to.
Former Hollyoaks actress Gemma, 41, explained: “So basically, Thiago was going through a phase where he wouldn’t sleep and, touch wood, we’ve been really lucky with both of them.
“They’ve been great sleepers.
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“But Papa Gorka said to him one night ‘Thiago, if you do not go to sleep, papa [will] smack your bum.’
“Anyway, he did, didn’t he? Flat out. He was brilliant.”
Gorka clarified that he didn’t actually go through with his threat, saying: “I never did.”
Gemma said in the morning she asked her son if he had had a good night’s sleep and claims he replied: “Yeah, pappa smacked bum.”
The mum-of-two said she had confronted Gorka, and continued: “I said, ‘did you smack his bottom?’
“He said no.”
Gorka, who popped the question to Gemma on Valentine’s Day in 2021, confirmed: “I just said I would.”
The couple confirmed their son now tells everyone that Gorka smacked his bottom, even months later.
Gemma added: “[He’s been saying it for] about three months, to everyone.
“Even says it when he’s not here.
“So, when he’s been in Madrid at the weekends, he goes, ‘papa smack bum’, and he’s not even in the same house.”
Stricter parent
Gemma agreed that she thought that Gorka was the stricter parent out of the pair of them.
She shared: “I’m the fun parent.”
Jokingly referring to a quote from the movie Mean Girls, she added: “I’m not a regular mum. I’m a cool mum.”
Gemma added: “You are definitely the stricter one. I’m very quick to cave.
“And it’s not even about happy life, whatever. I just think they’re not going to be little for long.
“He’s not going to want to be rocked asleep every night.”
Smacking rules
The laws on smacking vary across the UK.
In England and Northern Ireland it is currently legal for a carer or parent to smack their own child to what amounts to “reasonable punishment” according to section 58 of the Children Act 2004.
However, any punishment above what is considered “reasonable” is illegal.
The problem is, some people don’t know what “reasonable punishment” means – with the age of the child and the force of the smack also being taken into account.
Hitting a child in a way which causes wounding, actual bodily harm, grievous bodily harm, or child cruelty is illegal.
And the smacking of kids by teachers, nursery workers and child care workers – which was once allowed – is now banned.
However, if somebody is employed privately by the child’s parents – for example as a babysitter or nanny – they may be given permission to smack.
Gemma and Gorka’s love story
Gemma has now been in the spotlight for half of her life after joining Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks as Lisa Hunter aged 17.
She has also had roles in Emmerdale and Casualty, but it was her stint on I’m A Celeb in 2007, where she came fifth, and later Strictly, where she was a runner-up, that made her a household name.
The Hits Radio show host says it was an open secret among the crew of the BBC dance show that she was dating Gorka.
He was partnered with singer Alexandra Burke, while Gemma was with Slovenian pro Aljaz Skorjanec.
The couple did not go public with their relationship until Valentine’s Day in 2018, when Gemma posted a loved-up picture of them on holiday.
Gorka proposed in 2021, and Gemma shared the news online, writing: “Valentine’s forever. Of course I said yes.”
They then allowed cameras to follow their lives for two series of channel W’s Gemma & Gorka: Life Behind The Lens.
Their wedding has been pushed back repeatedly due to work commitments, but Gemma says she knows she has finally found The One.
Gemma Atkinson’s love life
GORKA proposed in 2021, and Gemma shared the news online, writing: “Valentine’s forever. Of course I said yes.”
It is hopefully third time lucky, as Gemma has been engaged twice before — though never married.
She agreed to marry footballer Marcus Bent in 2008 despite their on-off relationship, but they later split.
She also dated Cristiano Ronaldo.
Then Britain’s Got Talent finalist and martial-arts expert Liam Richards proposed, but they called time on their romance in 2010.
Speaking on her own podcast, The Overshare, she said: “You are not always meant to be with that one person. I have been engaged before. This is my third engagement.
“Me and Gorka discussed it. He is the only person I said, ‘Yeah, I would love to marry you’.”
“The other two just proposed. I was like, ‘Ahh, Yes’. Six weeks later, I was like, ‘I can’t do it’. You just know.
“People do sometimes go through with an engagement or wedding knowing it is the wrong person — but a fear of, ‘How do you get out of it?’ But imagine trying to get out of a divorce. It is even harder.”