Gemma Atkinson reveals struggles of healthy eating on Strictly Come Dancing

Poor Gemma!

Published 19th Sep 2017
Last updated 19th Sep 2017

Strictly Come Dancing contestant Gemma Atkinson has revealed that she just can't stop eating now that she is training eight hours a day.

The Key 103 breakfast presenter was telling her co-hosts Matt and Mike this morning that all the training is taking its toll on her diet and she has "fallen off the wagon with a bump".

Normally Gemma watches what she eats and Matt described her as the "most disciplined and boring eater", but that's all changed.

Speaking on Key 103 she said, "Everyone said to me, you need to be aware you're going to want to eat and eat and eat." Going on to explain how her normal 'go to' choices are long gone.

"We've had lunch every day during rehearsals, for example we went to Nando's", she said.

"Normally my go to at Nando's is superfood salad, with a bit of chicken, maybe a bit of houmous and pitta, maybe..." she then admitted, "I've been twice, I've had the chicken wrap, with all the mayo and stuff on it, chips on the side and Perinaise, sometimes the rice as well".

Gemma then went on to list all the food she has been eating since she started to train.

Gemma has been partnered with professional dancer Aljaz Skorjanec. The pair have been training for eight hours a day since last week and all the dancing has been hard on Gemma's feet. Last week she revealed that they are now covered in bruises and plasters which didn't go down well with her co-hosts who already think Gemma's feet are weird.

Gemma Atkinson's feet

Aljaz also joined Gemma on her show last week where Matt and Mike quizzed him on how the pair were getting along with their training. He said it was a great experience to teach someone who had no experience, which is lucky because before the show started Gemma described herself as 'Bambi on ice'.

Recently Gemma revealed on Instagram that she and Aljaz will be performing a Cha Cha to Shawn Mendez to 'There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back' so we can't wait to see them perform this weekend.

Now that the contestants have been paired up check out the Strictly Come Dancing dance partners gallery:

Gemma Atkinson and Aljaz Skorjanec


Mollie King and AJ Pritchard


Alexandra Burke and Gorka Marquez


Aston Merrygold and Janette Manrara


Nadiya Bychkova and Davood Ghadami


Joe McFadden and Katya Jones


Ruth Langsford and Anton Du Beke


Rev Richard Coles and Dianne Buswell


Susan Calman and Kevin Clifton


Charlotte Hawkins and Brendan Cole


Oti Mabuse and Jonnie Peacock


Chizzy Akudolu and Pasha Kovalev


Debbie McGee and Giovanni Pernice


Simon Rimmer and Karen Clifton


Amy Dowden and Brian Conley