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Highlights

• Gorka Márquez has announced he is leaving Strictly Come Dancing after 10 years
• The dancer said it was time to “hang up my dance shoes”
• He said the show helped him build a career, find love and start a family
• He will continue appearing on the Strictly Pro Tour and on Spain’s Bailando con las Estrellas

Gorka Márquez is walking away from more than just a television show

After a decade on Strictly Come Dancing, Gorka Márquez has announced his departure from the BBC competition, describing it as the moment to “hang up my dance shoes”. While exits from long-running reality shows are common, Márquez’s farewell feels particularly personal because his time on Strictly shaped far more than his professional life.

In a message shared online, the Spanish dancer reflected on how the show became a turning point both on and off screen. What began as a career opportunity eventually gave him public recognition in the UK, lifelong friendships and a family life he had not expected when he first joined the programme.