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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Entertainment
Courtney Pochin

Inside Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan's steamy Dubai dates that led to 'long-distance' marriage

When it comes to celebrity couples, undoubtedly Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright are one of the most glamorous pairings.

The two have been married for eight years after their relationship started in 2012 when they met coincidentally while both enjoying separate holidays in Dubai.

At the time, Mark had just left The Only Way Is Essex after splitting with high school sweetheart Lauren Goodger, while Michelle was five months on from her split from her The Wanted star fiancé Max George.

Sparks flew between the pair while they were seemingly staying in the same place in Dubai, and the smitten pair were caught enjoying a steamy clinch in N'Dulge at Dubai's Atlantis the Palm Hotel that New Year's Eve.

The pair met in Dubai (FilmMagic)
The two often work in different countries (Mark Wright Instagram)

They met up again when they arrived back in the UK and managed to keep their relationship relatively under wraps for several months, until making their first public appearance together at the British Soap Awards in May 2013.

Mark and Michelle arrived hand in hand on the red carpet for the glitzy event and nine months later, the pair were engaged.

The 36-year-old reality star popped the question to former Coronation Street actress Michelle while they enjoyed a getaway to Dubai once more.

Mark told The Mirror after the proposal: "I've got now, for the first time in my life, what I've always wanted and what every boy dreams of - affection in a relationship, love, best friend, a girl I fancy... everything rolled into one."

And Michelle later tweeted: "THANKYOU for all the lovely messages, and yes it's true @markwright_ and I are engaged !! We are so SO happy :-) xxx."

The pair tied the knot in 2015 (@wrighty_)

The couple tied the knot on 24 May 2015 at St Mary's Church in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.

Michelle looked stunning in a bespoke strapless lace and tulle gown by Galia Lahav, while Mark looked very dapper in a tailored tuxedo.

They followed up the ceremony with a party at the nearby Tudor mansion Hengrave Hall, where they wowed guests as they performed a dance routine to Dirty Dancing classic, Time of Your Life.

The pair enjoyed a lavish honeymoon and settled into married life nicely.

But shortly after, work commitments saw them separated by a whopping 9,000 miles, living on different continents and doing long-distance for months.

Michelle had landed a role in BBC's Our Girl and was filming in South Africa and it wasn't long before rumours of chinks in their relationship grew into big cracks.

A friend of the pair told The Sun: "It's been a turbulent first year and they've been apart much more than they've been together.

"Things between them are pretty volatile. When you add it up they're just not sharing time, a bed, meals, days out, or chilling together the way couples need to."

The couple have faced criticism over their relationship and time spent apart (Internet Unknown)

Following this, the pair have faced numerous rumours and reports that their relationship is on the rocks or struggling as people claimed they spent little time together.

This worsened in their second year of marriage when Mark was then offered a TV job in Los Angeles and speculation about their marriage intensified.

However, the husband and wife have repeatedly hit back at claims they don't spend enough time together, branding it all "nonsense".

Michelle previously told Fabulous Magazine: "All the marriage reports are ridiculous.

"Our marriage is going really well. We're happy. I don't want to constantly say 'We're happy, we're fine,' because why validate it?"

Similarly, after a recent trip to Ibiza together, Mark told MailOnline that he and Michelle spend a lot of time together that no one sees.

He said: "Do you know what whenever there's a picture of us together people will say 'rare picture of Mark and Michelle' or 'Mark and Michelle reunite after time apart'.

"I could be in the house with Michelle for two weeks, but no one will know that because I'm not necessarily posting about it.

"We spend plenty of quality time together and we've had plenty of weekends away, we have got stuff booked up."

But while they may not share pictures together, the couple often update fans on the renovation of their Essex mansion.

However, reports recently claimed that the couple were 'divided' over their stunning home, as Michelle was said to want to be closer to her loved ones in Manchester, according to a source.

"Michelle adores her house and what they have built together, but there's a huge part of her that is still pining to be close to her friends and family, which is understandably causing a divide between her and Mark," an insider told Closer Magazine.

"Essex has been her permanent base for over a decade now, but as much as she has tried to settle into life there, she feels like a piece of her is missing and part of her wishes they could move up north where she feels content and comfortable," they added.

The couple don't currently have any children, but Michelle has said in the past that they are frequently asked about it and do want kids in the future.

Appearing on The Jonathan Ross Show, she said: "Not yet. Everyone always asks that question. Don't get me wrong, I'm not getting any younger.

"My mum is on it as well. No plans yet, but we definitely do want children in the future."

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