British actress and radio host Gemma Atkinson recently spoke out about something that really shook up the sports and entertainment world. She shared that after her brief relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo back in 2007, she faced serious pressure to turn on him.
Journalists and tabloids dangled huge amounts of money in front of her, hoping she’d trash Ronaldo in the press after their breakup. The essential point of Atkinson’s refusal was that their relationship was “remarkably normal”.
Why Gemma Atkinson Refused To Sell Out The Private Ronaldo
During an interview with Manchester’s Key 103 Radio, resurfaced and gone viral in 2026, Atkinson remembered their first dates as so incredibly simple that they usually amounted to just having cups of tea and her watching the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses at her house. Mentioning her split with the Al Nassr star, Gemma mentioned the offers she got but refused to accept.
Gemma stuck to her guns. No matter how tempting the cash seemed, she said no.
“When we broke up, I was offered a lot of money to speak badly about him, and I didn’t want it because I had nothing negative to say,” she explained.
It’s rare these days to see someone pass up a payday just to keep things honest—especially when so many celebrity breakups get milked for all they’re worth.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Legacy
By February 2026, one thing is clear in the world of Cristiano Ronaldo: everything revolves around that wild, almost unbelievable number of 1,000 goals. After turning 41 just a few weeks ago, the Al-Nassr captain looks more determined than ever to hit that four-digit goal mark. Right now, he sits at 962 career goals.
He did miss a short stretch earlier this month. Apparently, because of a heated standoff with the Saudi Public Investment Fund over how competitive the league really is. But on February 14, he was back out there against Al-Fateh, chasing history once again.
