Mark Wright says he ‘can’t wait’ for Michelle Keegan to give birth as he reveals feelings on becoming first time dad
The couple announced they were expecting their first baby in December last year
MARK Wright says he “can’t wait” for his new role as a dad to finally begin.
The former TOWIE star and his actress wife Michelle Keegan revealed news of their pregnancy on Instagram last December by sharing a photograph of the ex Corrie star cradling her blossoming bump.
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Mark Wright and his dad have partnered with Boots Hearingcare for World Hearing DayCredit: Pitch images
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Mark and Michelle announced they were expecting a baby in December last yearCredit: Maria Hibbs
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The couple have been married since 2015 and are ‘really excited’ to be parentsCredit: Getty
Now, speaking to The Sun, Mark has opened up about the parent he hopes to be by reflecting on what he has learned from his own dad, Mark Wright Snr – or ‘Big Mark’ as he’s affectionately known.
Mark says: ”I’m just excited for the whole process. I’m just really excited and can’t wait for it to happen.
“A parent shapes you. If you haven’t got a good upbringing, you can still end up being a good person but if you’ve got good parents, like we have, you’re going out into life [with] a massive head start.
“My dad is everything you’d dream [of] in a dad. He’s always put us first, no matter what, whether that was financially or in terms of love and care.
“We’ve always felt so loved and that’s one of the most important things for any parent – to make your child feel loved and to [let] them know [you’re] there.
Mark, who was last month forced to hide in a bedroom with pregnant Michelle after burglars targeted their lavish Essex home, also notes that at the age of 38, he still leans on his dad for support during tough times.
He says: “If anything ever happens to me in my life, the first person I call is my dad and it’s a lovely feeling knowing that I’ve got that.”
Mark and his 68-year-old dad starred together in BBC One’s A Wright Family Holiday in June 2023 and have joined forces again as part of a Boots Hearingcare campaign to help encourage 3 million Brits living with untreated hearing loss to take action.
Age-related hearing loss can start as early as a person’s thirties or forties and worsens gradually over time.
Mark Snr, who first noticed a deterioration in his hearing at the age of 50, recalls how family members complained about the TV volume being too high or observed that he was talking loudly.
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Socially, especially in groups, he also recollects struggling to hear friends’ speaking – a problem that left him feeling “vague” and on a social sideline.
In January, the ex car salesman, who is married to Mark’s mum Carol, 64, finally had discreet hearing aids fitted into both ears – a decision, he says, “changed my life”.
Now son Mark is open to following in his dad’s footsteps by electing to wear hearing aids if, in the future, his ears subsequently fail him.
”I wouldn’t hesitate,” he says. “[Hearing aids are] nothing to be ashamed of and your life’s going to be so much better once you do it. I’d rather be able to hear than not be able to. I don’t think hearing aids looks bad. Plus, also, I’m a trendsetter, so once I start wearing them, everyone will be!”
While Mark jokes that interview questions about him turning 40 in January 2027, just one month after his dad’s 70th, are “killing” him, he notes that there are benefits to getting older.
“You don’t care as much,” he says. “I used to stress a lot about, ‘I want to do this. I want to do that. Where am I going to be this year? I want to earn this money’, but I do feel like as I’ve got to 38, I don’t sweat the small stuff anymore.”
And the host of new BBC daytime makeover show Clean It, Fix It agrees it’s perfect timing for his latest career move beside pal Olly Murs, co-hosting a new Saturday morning Heart FM breakfast show.
“We’ve both been off traveling the world, doing our things separately and now we both – for personal reasons – want to keep our feet on the ground. So to have a commitment like this every Saturday together, it’s quite fitting, really,” he says.
“Waking up every Saturday morning, having breakfast with him in a Heart studio, discussing being dads and the music is going to be. It’s going to be a very fun time.
“We’re waking people up, we want to be with people when they’re driving to football with the kids to [go] shopping or at home while they’re having breakfast as a family. We’re going to be there for people that need us on a Saturday morning and working with one of my best mates is a dream.”
Mark and Michelle have also been targeted for a fly-on-the-wall series documenting his and Michelle’s journey into parenthood – but despite offers, he adds it’s unlikely they will.
“A lot of production companies have pitched but we’ve kindly said no, at the moment,” explains Mark, who married Ten Pound Poms actress Michelle in 2015 after they met backstage at The X Factor.
“Career-wise, we’re both so busy doing our own separate things. Michelle’s on a journey with her acting career and I’m doing my presenting and other stuff.”
He adds: “We love the fact that we keep our work separate and we come home to be together for our personal time. That’s just how we’re going to keep it for now.”
If you’re struggling with a hearing condition, visit your GP or an audiologist. If you are aged over 50, you can book a free hearing test at www.bootshearingcare.com.
Mark Wright’s career timeline
Since rising to fame over a decade ago as a reality TV star, popular personality Mark Wright has gone on to enjoy a successful career.
The Only Way is Essex (2010-2011, regular): Mark was an original Towie cast member from its October 2010 launch and spanning series 1-3. He left the programme in 2011 but has returned for a handful of cameos.
I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here (2011): After leaving Towie, Mark signed up for the famed ITV jungle. He finished in second place behind McFly star Dougie Poynter.
Heart (2012-2017; 2019 – present): Mark first joined radio station Heart in 2012, leaving five years later to pursue work in the United States. He made a return to the station in July 2019.
Strictly Come Dancing (2014): The star took to the Strictly ballroom in 2014, finishing fourth behind Caroline Flack, Simon Webbe and Frankie Bridge.
The Dengineers (2015-2017): Mark was a co-presenter of the children’s programme for its first two series. After his departure, later hosts have included Joe Swash and Meryl Fernandes.
Extra (2017-2020): Mark was an entertainment reporter for this US outlet for three years.
The Bachelor UK (2019): A revived UK iteration of the popular American dating show. Mark’s version of the programme aired on Channel 5.
The Challenge UK (2023): Another UK rendition of an American format, this aired on Channel 5 in February 2023.
Clean It, Fix It (2024 – present): Mark has joined the popular BBC daytime show from its fourth series onwards.
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Mark and Michelle were being targeted by TV execs for a reality showCredit: Getty
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The couple have become a British TV power coupleCredit: Getty
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Mark and Mark Snr are hoping to cut down the stigma of hearing aids
