Gorka Marquez has shown there are no hard feelings on him missing out on the Strictly Come Dancing tour, but urging fans not only to go and watch Helen Skelton in action with her new partner, but to vote for her to win.
While many Strictly viewers had Helen and Gorka, who had previously reached the final with Alexandra Burke and Maisie Smith, as their 2022 winners, it ended up being Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystal who took home the Glitterball trophy in December, with fans then delighted by the news that the new champions would be doing the show's annual tour.
The tour will play to audiences at arenas around the country, kicking off in Birmingham on January 20. The line-up includes all the finalists, bar Gorka, with Fleur East and Vito Coppola and Molly Rainford and Carlos Gu also taking part. Helen will be there but in a new partnership with Kai Widdrington, fresh from him winning the Strictly Christmas special, alongside ex Coronation Street star Alexandra Mardell.
Gorka'a absence was confirmed when a list of participating couples was posted on the Strictly tour Instagram account last month, with Helen's name next to Kai, as fans reacted in their droves to not only Gorka's absence, but also the fact that fellow fan favourite Giovanni Pernice also won't be involved.
Helen began Strictly tour rehearsals earlier this week and on Wednesday, was seen together with Kai or the first time, in a backstage snap she shared on her Insta story, declaring she, Kai, Molly and Carlos were 'putting the world to rights.'
Gorka's absence from the Strictly tour comes as he gets set to tour the country in Firedance, his show with another pro dancer from the BBC show, Karen Hauer. He was asked by a follower in an Instagram Q&A why he wasn't doing the tour, and while not mentioning Firedance, he gave a very public show of support for Helen and Kai as he replied: "Please go and watch @strictlycomedancinglive is gonna be amazing," adding: "And make sure you vote for @helenskelton and @kaiwidd"
In an earlier response, Gorka said that, rather than doing the Strictly tour, he wanted to spend some 'quality time' with other half Gemma Atkinson and their daughter Mia, adding: "I am grateful for the work, but I also think spending time with family is important."
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