Helen Skelton shares personal connection to Strictly partner - 'That was who I wanted'

express.co.uk:

Strictly Come Dancing’s 20th series, Helen has spoken about her delight at being matched with Spanish professional dancer Gorka, 32.The 39-year-old Countryfile presenter, who first tried her hand at Strictly when she took part in the Christmas Special back in 2012, said that from the start she wanted to be paired with Gorka, due to the fact that she is so close to his fiancé, actress and radio DJ Gemma Atkinson.Speaking to Express.co.uk about her reaction to being paired with Gorka, which Helen has had to keep hidden for several weeks, she said: “That was who we wanted.“Because I know Gemma, we've got loads of mutual friends.“And he lives not that far from me.”Living in close proximity to his Strictly partner is something that seems to be important for Gorka and more likely Gemma, as it means the pair, who are parents to two-year-old daughter Mia, can still spend as much time with each other as possible.Back in August of this year, former Emmerdale star Gemma, 37, opened up about the struggles of living alone after Gorka had to move away for work commitments.Speaking on her Instagram stories, which has amassed 1.8 million followers, Gemma explained how difficult it can be being a single parent, but went on to say how her family help her out."I'm extremely lucky because obviously Gorka works away a lot, but my mum and my stepdad are ten minutes down the road and my sister is half an hour away," Gemma said."But last week and this week I'm off work because they're on holiday, so I've literally [got] nothing and I've no one other than myself with Norm and Ollie [her two dogs] and Mia, and I'm only halfway through and I feel like I've been [explicit] around the head."Sharing her amazement for other mums in a similar position,.