Helen Skelton has revealed she has a secret bond with dance partner Gorka’s financée Gemma Atkinson.
The Strictly Come Dancing star shared she has forged a close friendship with the former Hollyoaks and Emmerdale actress since appearing on the BBC show.
Last month Gorka and Gemma invited Helen round to their house for dinner dispelling any rumours of a Strictly ‘curse’.
And pals say Gemma thinks Helen is a ‘sweetheart’, especially after the year she’s had following her shock split from husband Richie Myler, who she shares three children with.
She also ‘absolutely trusts’ Gorka, who is father to her three-year-old daughter Mia.
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Detailing their new friendship in a chat with Closer magazine, Helen said: “I’m so lucky because Gemma’s also done the show and she gets it.
“She understands what it’s like when you’re in my shoes, so I feel like I get the benefit of that support [as well as Gorka’s].”
Gemma, 37, was reportedly ‘relieved’ that Gorka is paired with Helen, 39, due to her ‘genuine’ nature.
Following the first episode of Strictly airing, Gemma even took to her Instagram page in view of her 1.8 million followers as she gushed over Gorka and Helen.
Sharing a selfie of the pair taken on the dance floor, Gemma wrote: " C'mon!!! Go out there and shine Helen! You're gonna have the most amazing time on Strictly! Will be rooting for you both.”
It seems Gemma and Gorka have really taken Helen under their wing as she battles it out to win the coveted Strictly trophy.
After one of their performances earlier this month, Gorka praised Helen publicly – but also discussed her marriage breakdown, which she didn’t appreciate.
During the speech on live TV, Gorka put his arm around Helen as he said: “I know you’ve been having a difficult time.
“And I know you may feel like you’re not beautiful or good enough or anything. But if you don’t believe in yourself. I believe in you. Everybody here believes in you.”
He added: “It’s only you who is going to be the one who can make the change and the one who needs to believe in you, because you are an amazing woman. Very inspirational.
“An amazing mum and incredible dancer, so believe in you, please.”
Mortified Helen bit her lip and rolled her eyes in annoyance and memes of her furious ‘side eye’ quickly went viral.
She later admitted she wasn’t mad at Gorka for what he did – but took him to one side for a chat afterwards.
Helen told The Sun : “What I love about Gorka is that he has my very best interests at heart, and we are genuinely very good friends.
“But sometimes, maybe, we need to talk about what he’s allowed to say publicly. I was like, ‘Oh God, where is he going with this? That’s why I jumped on the table - to shut him up!”
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