Gorka Marquez has spoken out about his departure from Strictly Come Dancing, insisting he is 'fine' after announcing he is leaving the BBC show after a decade. The professional dancer, who joined in 2016, revealed his exit on Instagram in April, saying he will 'forever be thankful' but it is time to 'hang up my dance shoes'.
During the latest episode of his podcast Lost In Translation with fiancée Gemma Atkinson, a listener message expressed how much he would be missed. Gorka replied: 'I know, they're so kind,' before adding: 'But I'm fine.' Gemma then joked: 'In fact, he's actually better, he's better than ever!'
Gorka also addressed why he did not give a farewell speech during the recent Strictly The Professionals tour, unlike co-star Luba Mushtuk who delivered an emotional goodbye. On the podcast, Gemma read a listener's comment about the lack of a send-off, to which Gorka explained: 'I said no! I'm not saying goodbye because I don't want to say goodbye, I just want to celebrate.' He added: 'For me, Strictly doesn't start until August, I'm still part of the team.'
Gorka, who lives in Greater Manchester with Gemma and their two children, has stepped back from competing in the 2025 series to return as a judge on the Spanish version of Strictly, Bailando con las Estrellas. He remains open to a future return, cheekily teasing: 'Who knows, you might be getting sat in that chair in a couple of years!'
