Gemma Atkinson turned a June 17 podcast segment into the sharpest sort of family moment when she played Gorka Marquez a pre-recorded Father's Day message from Mia. He broke down in tears as the clip ran on Lost In Translation, days before Father's Day on June 21.
Five lines from Mia did the work. She told him, "Hi, Papa. Happy Father's Day. We love you. Love Mia and Thiago, not Mummy." She then ran through a top five that included "you're an amazing dad" and the line that landed hardest in the room: "you do smelly trumps — very smelly, very, very."
Mia's top five
The message was recorded while Gorka Marquez slept, which is why the reaction felt immediate rather than staged. Gemma Atkinson said those lucky enough to have a dad should enjoy Father's Day, then unveiled the surprise with a little message that put him on the back foot before he could recover.
Marquez answered with the kind of complaint only a parent can make in that moment: "That's not fair. You should do that at the end, not now!" It is a neat reminder that the most effective family content does not need production polish; it needs timing, a child’s voice, and one detail nobody can fake.
Strictly after 10 years
In April, Marquez said it was "time to hang up my dance shoes and say goodbye" after 10 years on Strictly, the same show that helped him build a career from his passion, find love, start a family, and make lifelong friends. He also said he hoped to "hold up a few paddles and give out some tens along the way," which leaves the door open without locking it open.
That combination matters because the emotional clip arrived just after a public exit announcement, so the family moment reads as more than a social post. It is a neat slice of crossover celebrity life: the private message is warm, but the professional change is real, and the two sit side by side here rather than cancel each other out.
September and the next move
Strictly is due back in September with Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe set as the new presenters, while Nadiya Bychkova, Karen Hauer, Michelle Tsiakkas and Luba Mushtuk are also among the names reported to be departing. Marquez first joined in 2016, so the question now is less about the emotional video and more about whether that April farewell becomes permanent.
For readers tracking his exit, the only sensible read is that the June 17 moment strengthens the sense of transition rather than reversing it. Mia’s message gave the story its heart; the April announcement still gives it its direction, and the future return he hinted at remains the part worth watching.
