Former Hollyoaks star Gemma Atkinson has disclosed that the soap's producers have approached her 'a few times' about reprising her role as Lisa Hunter, but she has declined each offer. The 41-year-old actress, who played the character from 2001 to 2005 and made a brief return in 2022, now says that chapter of her career is firmly behind her.
Family life takes priority over soap schedules
Speaking on her podcast Lost in Translation, which she co-hosts with fiancé Gorka Márquez, Atkinson explained that the unpredictable nature of soap filming no longer fits her lifestyle. 'Hollyoaks kindly asked me back a few times and I love Hollyoaks, forever grateful for it, it's because of that soap I'm where I am now,' she said. However, she added: 'I wouldn't be able to do a soap again. The thing is with soaps, you have to be on call 24/7 unless you specifically book time off.'
Atkinson, who also starred in Emmerdale as Carly Hope and appeared in Casualty, highlighted the demanding contractual obligations: 'We had to have in my contracts with Hollyoaks, Emmerdale and Casualty, that you had to be within an hour of the studio all the time unless you'd book time off.' She recalled being called to the Liverpool set while she was in London during her Hollyoaks days, illustrating how quickly schedules can change.
Preference for fixed-term projects
Now a mother of two – daughter Mia, six, and son Thiago, two – Atkinson prefers projects with clear start and end dates, allowing her to arrange childcare in advance. She has previously expressed interest in a one-off drama because it offers a defined filming period. She praised former Emmerdale co-star Lucy Pargeter for managing to raise twins while working on the soap, saying: 'I shared a changing room with Lucy Pargeter, who had twins and at the time they were like Thiago's age. I genuinely do not know how she did it.'
Atkinson and Márquez, who got engaged in 2021, have both made significant career changes recently. Márquez stepped away from Strictly Come Dancing earlier this year, citing scheduling conflicts with Dancing with the Stars Spain. He announced: 'After last year's decision to step down as a full-time professional due to scheduling conflicts between Strictly and Dancing with the Stars Spain, I've decided that now is the time to hang up my dance shoes and say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing.'
No immediate plans for soap return
While fans may hope to see Atkinson back on screen in Hollyoaks or Emmerdale, she has made it clear that soap life is behind her. Despite her gratitude for the opportunities the genre provided, her current priorities lie with her family. 'I love Hollyoaks, forever grateful for it, it's because of that soap I'm where I am now,' she reiterated, but the demands of 24/7 availability are no longer something she is willing to accept.
