Strictly Come Dancing star Gemma Atkinson has described her boyfriend Gorka Marquez as her “best mate” and “the one”.
The soap actress met the professional dancer while she was a contestant on the 2017 series and was partnered with Aljaz Skorjanec.
The couple have said exercising together has made their relationship stronger.
Atkinson told ITV’s Lorraine: “What I personally love about working out with Gorks is that he’s good at motivating me.
“We both work crazy hours and it’s sometimes difficult for us to get a bit of time in together. We have a laugh and it’s a nice bit of healthy competition when we are exercising.”
She added that her father’s premature death had made her worry more about her health, saying: “My dad was 52, very healthy, he didn’t smoke, he drank now and again, and he passed away from heart disease.”
Atkinson added: “I love the fact that Gorka is an amazing cook and I love eating, so it’s a great combo.
“Outside of the gym there is a mutual understanding. Being best mates as well – it sounds cheesy. It’s fun, really.
“In 10 years, when I hopefully have a couple of kids running around, I don’t want to get out of breath running up the stairs after them. It’s nice to have someone tell you ‘you are beautiful’ regardless.”
She added that Marquez was “the one”.
Marquez, who was paired with Alexandra Burke on the 2017 series, said of Atkinson: “She makes me laugh, she makes me happy. I’m lucky to have her beside me.”