Gemma Louise Atkinson (born 16 November 1984 in Bury, Greater Manchester) is an English actress, television personality and glamour and lingerie model. Atkinson took her GCSEs at Castlebrook High School before becoming a commercial and photographic model. Atkinson has dated soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo, Alan Smith and was engaged to Marcus Bent, but they have since split up.
Atkinson rose to fame playing Lisa Hunter on the Channel 4 teenage soap opera Hollyoaks. Atkinson and Marcus Patric (who played the character Ben Davies) subsequently appeared in a "spin-off" series called Hollyoaks: Let Loose for E4, in which their characters started a new life together in Chester. This was followed by Hollyoaks: In the City, also screened on E4. Atkinson made her debut video game appearance in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 (2008) in the role of Lt. Eva McKenna, which she reprised in Command & Conquer Red Alert 3: Uprising (2009). She also took part in EA's "Be The One" event in Trafalgar Square on 29 October 2008, which forms part of the London Games Festival.
Since launching her parallel career as a glamour model, Atkinson has appeared in provocative photoshoots in lingerie and swimwear, including non-nude topless shots, for men's magazines such as Arena, FHM, Loaded, Maxim, Zoo and Nuts. In October 2006, she appeared in three of the aforementioned magazines in one month, becoming one of the most prolific celebrity glamour models in the UK. In November 2006, it was announced by Zoo that Atkinson had agreed to lend her name to their regular "sex and relationships column". She has also released two very successful calendars, in 2006 and 2007. Like the previous year, her 2009 calendar was also shot in Thailand and was released in November 2008.
In early 2006, Atkinson underwent breast enlargement surgery, which took her bra size to a 34E. She said in an interview that she lost weight due to a fitness regime and her bust size declined. The surgery then gave them the original shape they once had.
Since 2006, she has appeared in FHM's 100 Sexiest Women list, debuting at number 32 in 2006; following her appearance on the cover of FHM, she moved up to 23 in 2007; and in 2008, she rose again to number 18. She ranked No. 06 in COED Magazine Online's "50 Sexiest WAGs of World Football" and number 46 in AskMen.com's 99 Sexiest Women of 2008.
In May 2007, Atkinson was announced as the "glamorous new face" of the British Grand Prix and the official "mascot" of the "hi-octane" championship at Silverstone on 8 July. She was the face of the 2007 Tour de France. In early 2007, she was elected to be the new face of the lingerie chain La Senza.
In October 2007, Atkinson was elected the new face of Ultimo's D-G range. She opened Ultimo stores within Debenhams branches in London, Belfast and Glasgow.
Gemma Atkinson on her tattoos: Thursday, 3 January 2008."I hate my tattoo. Glamour girl makes New Year resolution to get rid of Chinese symbols. The glamour girl, 23, has oriental symbols inked on her tum, but believes they are tacky. "I don’t like the Chinese words tattooed on my stomach so I want them lasered off." she told the Daily Star.
Sunday, 20 April 2008...4 months later..."I'm addicted to tattoos." Gemma Atkinson says she's addicted to tattoos - and is already planning her next designs. "I've got two Chinese symbols on my stomach, the word 'Princess' written in Arabic on the top of my neck and an angel on my back," she explains.
Want to find out what some of GEMMA ATKINSON's tattoo designs &
symbols mean?
Check out:
Chinese Character Tattoos,
Heart Tattoos,
Angels
