Strictly’s Gorka Marquez says he is ‘very excited’ and ‘ready’ to welcome first child with Gemma Atkinson

Strictly Come Dancing star Gorka Marquez has opened up about being “ready” for fatherhood as he prepares to welcome his first child with Gemma Atkinson.

Marquez, who met Atkinson on the 2017 series of Strictly, said he was “very excited” to soon have a baby but was currently missing having his girlfriend around him.

“I am ready. Gemma is feeling very well and I am very excited,” he told HELLO! as he rehearsed for the upcoming Strictly The Professionals tour.

“I just miss her [when she isn’t here] because I love being with her. She is my best friend, so I miss her around me.”

Back in February, the couple revealed that they were expecting their first child together after over a year of dating.

The couple used their pet dogs Norman and Ollie to help announce the happy news, sharing snaps of the canines brandishing “big brother” signs on social media.

Since then, both Atkinson and Marquez have delighted fans with snaps and videos keeping them up-to-date with every step of her pregnancy and their preparation for parenthood.

Last week, former Emmerdale actress Atkinson posted an ultrasound on Instagram as she cooed over her unborn child – but jokingly grumbled they were already resembling Marquez.

“Still in my tummy kicking away,” Atkinson wrote next to a collage showing a picture of the young dancer.

“Making me knackered and giving me way more cellulite than usual but already has the exact same nose and mouth as their Dad @gorka_marquez. How is this fair???”

Atkinson has also shared a series of adorable messages about how she is missing Marquez while he is away with the upcoming tour, which sees some of the BBC show’s dancers entertain fans up and down the country.