TV and radio star Mark Wright has plenty to celebrate right now. Not only is his Live Wright fitness app going from strength to strength, he’s also about to become an uncle for the first time.
His sister Jess has recently announced she’s having a son with husband William Lee-Kemp, while brother Josh is expecting his first child with wife Hollie Kane Wright. And they’re due this spring, within two months of each other.
For Mark, 35, the happy news comes after a stressful time, which saw his beloved uncle pass away from Covid, his own “worrying” cancer scare, and a house move with actress wife Michelle Keegan, 34.
Here, Mark fills us in on married life and reveals why he’s rarely starstruck…
Hi, Mark. How are things?
Very good. I’ve still got a little bit of a suntan from my holiday to Mexico. It was beautiful there. It was the first time I’ve been away for Christmas. I never really thought I’d like it, but I genuinely really enjoyed it.
It looked amazing. As do you! How is your health and fitness work going?
Really well. My brother Josh and I have the Live Wright app and that’s growing by the day. People are relying on us even more so we’re having to deliver more and more workout plans and recipes. Out of everything I do, I think that is my favourite thing, because you’re changing people’s lives for the better in terms of their mental and physical health.
You’ve talked about the health scare you suffered last year. Was that frightening?
It was at first. They couldn’t tell me if it was a lipoma [a fatty, soft tissue lump that grows under the skin]. Even after ultrasound scans and MRIs and stuff, they still couldn’t tell me. It just was so big, and it was growing quite fast, so that’s what was worrying for me. Instead of doing a biopsy, they whipped it out and then I got the results about a week later and found out it wasn’t cancer. So it was scary up until that point, then I felt so much better.
Speaking of health, your family has suffered terribly because of Covid, including the loss of your uncle Eddie…
It was a terribly tough time, but hopefully the worst is behind us. Everyone’s jabbed and vaccinated. Hopefully, we won’t have another crisis like we’ve faced over the last couple of years.
In much happier news, you’re about to become an uncle, twice over!
Yeah, my brother’s having a baby and my sister as well. Their due dates are six to eight weeks apart. Definitely, it is exciting to become an uncle.
And you’ve been building your dream home with Michelle. Any sign of you moving in yet?
I reckon we’re a few weeks away, hopefully. It’s been a stressful but fun time. I’m excited to move in and live in the comforts we’ve worked so hard to get.
How do you think your dogs, Phoebe and Pip, will take to the new house?
We always laugh about the dogs and how they’ll react. Our Chihuahua, Pip, thinks she rules the roost in the current house. It does make us laugh, but the minute we move in to the new place she will feel like it’s hers, like the queen of the palace. They are literally our children. We go on holiday and we don’t miss England or home. Michelle and I miss them.
Who is the cook in your house?
I like to help but Michelle is a very good cook. She’s ridiculously good at cooking. She somehow always makes the food taste better than anywhere else. It’s a problem, though, because sometimes when you go out for dinner it doesn’t taste as good as at home, so it ruins the meal.
And what do you guys like to do to relax?
I’m a big fan of movies. We like series as well. We just watched Ted Lasso on Apple TV. We haven’t been to the cinema in a couple of years, but we like the theatre. We just mix it up.
Have any celebrities left you starstruck?
Ed Sheeran is one of my favourite artists. When I interviewed him last year, he didn’t make me feel starstruck after, like, a minute – he’s so down to earth. When I lived in America I did quite a lot of interviews so I don’t really get starstruck, weirdly. I think it’s because I was in that work mode. But if I see someone in a restaurant or when I’m not meant to see them, that’s when I get starstruck.
Do you think you would work in the US again?
I’d definitely work there again if it was a series – a job that was there for a period, rather than what I was on before, which was a contract that kept me there indefinitely.
Tell us about your campaign with TUI highlighting the need for holidays, especially now…
A recent survey showed that people think they can never have too much sun or beach, or too many holidays. Relaxing and being with your loved ones on holiday are literally the happiest times ever, because you’re just completely switched off from the stresses of the
real world. So I think it’s very important that everyone gets that fix, especially after the last couple of years. It’s always great to have something to look forward to.
What sort of holidays do you like?
I do like skiing holidays. When I go to a chilled resort I like to do the odd active thing. But if I’m going to the Caribbean or something like that, I chill for the whole week. If I go for a city break, then I love to walk around and explore.
NB: Mark has partnered with TUI UK and Ireland to unveil Vitamin H (holiday) deficiency as the latest pandemic trend. For more information, visit tui.co.uk and get your Vitamin H fix.
