My sweet taste of Freedom

I took up Thai boxing because I wanted to kick like Van Damme

Gemma atkinson

The actress and DJ, 35, lives in Manchester with Strictly professional dancer Gorka Marquez, who she met on the show in 2017, and their daughter Mia, aged one. Here she tells how she coped with lockdown, and what she’s looking forward to now it’s easing...

FITNESS IS MY ADDICTION

‘Gorka and I love keeping fit, and we have a home gym in our garage that we’ve been getting a lot of use out of. Fitness is my addiction and I love Thai boxing. As a child I was obsessed by the actor and martial artist Jean

Claude Van Damme

[right]; I wanted to be just like him. But my mum wouldn’t let me take up kickboxing. She said it was too rough and aggressive and pushed me in the direction of karate instead. I loved that, but I still wanted to kick like Van Damme.

‘Thai boxing uses fists, elbows, knees and shins, and it’s brilliant at helping to get a tough day out of your system. It’s also good for your heart, good for toning up and it’s just great fun. Getting punched and kicked might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I think it’s a fantastic way to exercise.

‘It was the Hollyoaks and Luther actor Warren Brown who introduced me to it about eight years ago. He’s a former world champion and he took me to a gym in Bolton. I used to train up to three times a week there until lockdown and I can’t wait to go back now that gyms are open again. We have a punch bag at home but I miss someone holding the pads up and shouting at me to work harder!’

Gemma Thai boxing