Gemma Atkinson has been inundated with support from fans after announcing the heartbreaking death of her beloved pet pooch, Norman.
The former Hollyoaks actress shared her devastating news on Sunday in an emotional Instagram post which in part read: "My beautiful boy Norman has passed away. My heart is broken.
"12 years ago I made a promise to him that I would always take care of him and never allow him to be in pain or to suffer. Had I put off making the hardest decision of my life any longer I would have broken that promise."
She continued: "It's hard to put into words how much Norman changed my life and made it so much better Simply by just being there… He was my first experience of being a mum and having someone other than myself to care for. He’s taught me a lot. Mainly to always live in the moment, remain positive and to keep trying."
Gemma, 39, finished by adding: "They say the sadness we feel when we lose a loved one is the price we pay for loving them so much, and boy did I love you Norman. In all these years the only time you've broken my heart is today, when yours stopped beating. I'm going to love you, miss you and remember you forever."
The star's fans and friends flooded the comments section with heartfelt messages of condolences. Fellow Strictly Come Dancing star Karen Hauer wrote: "Oh Gemma, my heart aches for you... sending all the love," while a second penned: "This has made me cry, hot tears," and a third added: "Sending a ton of love and hugs to you all."
Alongside her moving message, Hits Radio presenter Gemma added a montage of video clips and snapshots featuring her beloved furry friend. Amongst the images, she also included adorable snippets of Norman bonding with her daughter Mia, four, and her little boy Thiago.
Gemma's family life
Gemma shares children Mia and Thiago with her fiance, Gorka Marquez. The pair first met back in 2017 during their time together on Strictly Come Dancing. The actress appeared as a celebrity contestant on the hit BBC show and although she was paired with Aljaz Škorjanec, she and Gorka formed a connection and began dating soon after.
Gorka got down on one knee on Valentine's Day in 2021, popping the question with a giant sparkler. During an exclusive interview with HELLO!, Gemma recently explained how the loved-up couple are in no rush to walk down the aisle.
"I'd like to wait until Thiago can walk down the aisle," Gemma said. "We've got this perfect life together, with the babies, the house and the dogs, so we don't feel any pressure to get married just for a certificate."
