Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez Open Up About Joint Decision to Leave Strictly Come Dancing Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez discuss their family-driven decision for the dancer to quit Strictly Come Dancing after ten years, highlighting the challenges of balancing work and family life. The BBC also announces the returning professional dancers for the upcoming series. Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez have opened up about their joint decision for the professional dancer to leave Strictly Come Dancing after a decade-long career on the BBC show. The 35-year-old dancer announced his departure last month, marking the end of an era as the show undergoes significant changes, including the exit of several beloved professional dancers. Speaking on their podcast Lost In Translation during the Strictly: The Professionals tour, Gorka shared insights into the difficult decision, revealing that it was a family choice. Gemma, 41, clarified that the decision was mutual, addressing speculation from fans who accused her of influencing his exit.She emphasized that the choice was not driven by personal desires but rather a collective family decision. The couple, who met on the 2017 series of Strictly, explained that Gorka's previous break from the show in 2025, due to his role as a judge on the Spanish version Bailando Con Las Estrellas, highlighted the challenges of balancing work and family life.His schedule clash with Strictly led to a temporary absence, during which he appeared in the ensemble for the first seven weeks before traveling to Spain for a month, returning only for the eleventh week. Gorka and Gemma revealed that managing his commitments in Spain alongside Strictly became overwhelming, prompting them to prioritize family time.They involved their six-year-old daughter Mia in the decision-making process, asking her whether she preferred her father working in Spain on weekends or in England during Strictly. Mia's response, favoring having him at home, sealed the decision. The couple also noted that their two-year-old son Thiago had struggled more than expected with Gorka's absence during tours, further reinforcing their choice.Gorka described his departure as bittersweet, expressing gratitude for the experiences and friendships he gained on the show, including meeting Gemma and starting a family. He acknowledged the personal growth and life lessons he learned during his time on Strictly but felt it was time to close that chapter and move forward.Meanwhile, the BBC has confirmed the professional dancers returning for the upcoming series, following a wave of departures that included Nadiya Bychkova, Karen Hauer, Michelle Tsiakkas, Luba Mushtuk, and Gorka Marquez. The returning lineup features familiar faces such as Dianne Buswell, who competed while pregnant last year and recently gave birth to her son Bowden, and Amy Dowden, who left the show early last season.Other returning professionals include Julian Caillon, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Jowita Przystał, Johannes Radebe, Aljaž Škorjanec, Alexis Warr, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Lauren Oakley, and Vito Coppola. Additionally, the BBC announced that new professional dancers will join the cast in 2026, while the judging panel, consisting of Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke, and Head Judge Shirley Ballas, will remain unchanged