Actress Gemma Atkinson has spoken about her decision to step away from soap operas, explaining that the demanding schedules and unpredictable hours no longer fit her lifestyle.
Gemma, who first rose to fame portraying Lisa Hunter from 2001 to 2005, later returned to the screen as Carly Hope on the Yorkshire-based drama Emmerdale. However, after several years in the role, she ultimately chose to move on. In a recent interview, Gemma admitted she’d consider a “one-off drama” project—one that has a clear start and finish date—so she could plan childcare around filming.
Discussing her personal life, Gemma noted that her partner, professional dancer Gorka Márquez, will begin work on a dance competition show from July until December. This leaves little flexibility for Gemma to juggle irregular soap filming schedules, which can vary from two hours a day to a full 12-hour shift without warning. Gemma emphasized this makes it “unrealistic” for her to commit to a long-term soap production at this stage in her life.
Despite ruling out a soap return for the foreseeable future, Gemma hasn’t closed the door on acting altogether, expressing a keen interest in taking on short-term or one-off roles that allow her to maintain a balanced lifestyle.
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