Gemma Atkinson was left visibly shaken as she recalled a worrying car journey with her baby daughter in the back seat.
The 36-year-old actress told fans of her experience just hours before her boyfriend Gorka Marquez took to the stage at the Strictly Come Dancing final.
She had been driving home when a Chihuahua suddenly appeared on the road with no collar or no owner in sight, reports the Mirror.
A panicked Gemma contemplated getting out the car to look for the poor dog, but she didn’t want to leave her one-year-old daughter Mia alone.
(Image: glouiseatkinson/Instagram)
She claimed to have a circle around to see if it was okay, but couldn’t catch a glimpse of it.
“I’m just driving home, I’ve pulled over, I can’t get out, I’ve got Mia with me”, Gemma said on Instagram.
“Just going down a dual carriage way and a little Chihuahua, a Chihuahua, has ran out into the road.”
The mum-of-one continued: “Oh my god. It wasn’t with anyone, it ran across, it had no collar on.
“I’ve circled round, and obviously I can’t see it and I can’t get out and look for it because I’ve got Mia with me.
“Oh my god a little Chihuahua in Bury, near Peel Way if anyone knows that.”
When she got home she was still worried about the dog.
She added: “A Chihuahua, it could have just got out couldn’t it? I couldn’t get out, could I?”
“Oh I hope it’s found, the little thing,” she added.
Gemma has spent two months away from her boyfriend Gorka as he has been in a bubble with Maisie.
Gorka said on Strictly spin-off show It Takes Two: “Obviously there were times where I thought, ‘What am I doing? Why am I not going home?’
“It’s very hard to be away from Gemma and Mia.
“But coming into the studio every day and to have [Maisie] there pushing and smiling trying to be her best, it pays off.”
