Gemma Atkinson will video call her dogs when she's training for 'Strictly Come Dancing'.
Gemma Atkinson
The 'Emmerdale' actress - who lives in Greater Manchester - will spend the next three months in London while she competes on the ballroom and latin show and has already made plans to FaceTime her pet pooches Norman and Ollie while she's away from them.
Speaking to K9 magazine, she said: "When I FaceTime my mum and they hear my voice they pop up like little meerkats and come over. It's the same if they're with me and hear my mum's voice."
Meanwhile, the 32-year-old star recently admitted she nearly turned down the chance to appear on the programme because of stage fright - even though she's grown up on screen.
She said: "I didn't say yes straight away. In fact I almost turned it down. I was worried about "Strictly' throwing me back into the spotlight and I was scared of performing live on TV each week in front of 12 million people. I've been in huge shows like 'Emmerdale', 'Casualty' and 'Hollyoaks' but I'm used to pre-recording everything."
It will be the first time the blonde beauty has done live recordings in more than a decade after she gave up theatre due to her crippling anxiety.
She explained: "I actually stopped doing live theatre about 10 years ago because It is so nerve-racking, but I'll have to get over that."
Gemma says she would have been foolish to say no as she would have regretted it.
She added: "After two weeks they chased my agent for an answer.
"My mum told me It was such an amazing opportunity and I would be silly to turn it down.
"I always think it's better to do something and it go wrong than regret not doing something and never knowing, so I said yes."
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