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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Entertainment
Jessica Sansome

Gemma Atkinson appears emotional as she has simple response to Helen Skelton and Gorka Marquez's performance

Gemma Atkinson appears to be emotional as she gave her simple reaction to Gorka Marquez's latest performance on Strictly Come Dancing with Helen Skelton. The Spanish dancer and Countryfile host were paired together at the start of the series three months ago and are within touching distance of the Glitterball trophy.

On Sunday night (December 12), Helen and Gorka performed tow routines during the BBC One dance contest's semi-final as they went up against Molly Rainford, Hamza Yassin, Will Mellor, and Fleur East in a bid for a place in next weekend's grand final.

Helen, 39, and Gorka, 32, kicked off their semi-final with a waltz to Only One Road by Celine Dion. Former Blue Peter presenter Helen wowed fans in an elegant white and gold number as she glided around the ballroom floor with her partner.

READ MORE: BBC Strictly Come Dancing fans stressed as spoiler fails to arrive after 'mole' drama

The TV star Helen being told she did "extremely well" by head judge Shirley Ballas and she added: "It was a dreamy performance, I think the friendship and bond you two have formed showed in this waltz." But there was, however, some criticism and the pair finished with a lower score than they have been used to of 35.

The pair then later performed the Argentine tango to Here Comes The Rain Again by Eurythmics. But a wardrobe malfunction occurred as her heel got caught in her stunning blue sequin dress. However, Helen powered through and earned a score of 37 as Shirley gave the lowest score of 8 while Motsi and Anton gave them both a 10.

And while Gemma, who was cheering her man and his dance partner on from their Greater Manchester home, didn't comment on the pair's intense and sexy tango, she did respond to the pair's waltz which was dubbed 'dreamy' by Anton.

Helen and Gorka performed an elegant Waltz (PA)

Sharing a picture of Helen and Gorka, with whom Gemma shares three-year-old daughter Mia, as they received their comments from the judges, the former soap star and Hits Radio host simply typed: "Love it!" alongside an emoji of a face holding back happy tears.

After the dance, Gorka said of his partner: "For me, you are an incredible person, an inspirational person. Positive with a smile, I think you inspire a lot of people, starting from me, to the whole nation."

Gemma's sweet response came after she paid a poignant tribute to her late father on Instagram. The 38-year-old has previously shared how her dad, David, tragically died in 2002. She told how her dad's colleague found him hunched over his desk, struggling to breathe or move, as he was having a heart attack.

Gemma responded to Helen and Gorka's first of two routines (Gemma Atkinson Instagram)

After a spell in hospital, the family, including 17-year-old Gemma, were preparing to welcome David home when the hospital called and said David had a massive heart attack in his sleep and tragically passed away.

On Sunday, Gemma shared an old photo of her dad, on what would have been his birthday, showing David with a party hat on his nose and a can of beer in his hand as he sat in front of a wall that had been decorated with Christmas cards. "Would have been celebrating your 72nd birthday today Dad," Gemma typed.

"I'm sure you're celebrating up there in some way... I miss you Dad. Every. Single. Day," she then movingly added before sharing an even more touching clip which she has previously shared on Instagram of her daughter, Mia. Last December Gemma shared a video of her then-two-year-old daughter at the window talking about the moon. Gemma explained: "When I say up thee, I mean the moon as that's where you live according to Mia."

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