Mark Wright (TV personality)

Mark Charles Edward Wright (born 20 January 1987) is an English television personality, entertainment reporter, and professional footballer currently playing for League Two side Crawley Town. He is best known for appearing as a cast member on the first three series of The Only Way Is Essex. Wright gained more popularity after appearing on the eleventh series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! where he finished as runner-up, and the twelfth series of Strictly Come Dancing, where he finished in fourth place.

Mark Wright
Wright in July 2011
Born
Mark Charles Edward Wright

(1987-01-20) 20 January 1987
Buckhurst Hill, Essex, England[1]
Occupation
  • Television personality
  • entertainment reporter
  • professional footballer
Spouse(s)
​
(m. 2015)​
RelativesJess Wright (sister)
Josh Wright (brother)
Association football career
Position(s) Left-back
Club information
Current team
 Crawley Town
Number 30
Youth career
1994–1998 West Ham United
1998–2001 Arsenal
2001–2005 Tottenham Hotspur
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 Southend United 0 (0)
2005–2006 → Lewes (loan) 7 (0)
2006–2020 Grays Athletic 0 (0)
2006–2007 → Crawley Town (loan) 9 (1)
2007 → Rushden & Diamonds (loan) 3 (0)
2007 → St Albans City (loan)
2007 Bishop's Stortford
2007 Fisher Athletic
2008–2009 Thurrock
2009 Bishop's Stortford 21 (1)
2011 Heybridge Swifts[2] 2 (0)
2011 Thurrock 0 (0)
2020– Crawley Town 1 (0)
National team
2008 England C 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16:08, 6 February 2021 (UTC)

He is also a current presenter on Heart's Evening Show on Monday to Thursday.

Career

Football

Before his appearances on The Only Way Is Essex, Wright was a semi-professional footballer, with a youth career at West Ham United,[3] Arsenal,[4] and Tottenham Hotspur.

He started his senior career with Southend United, but moved into nightclub promoting and playing only semi-professionally. In November 2006, he was loaned from Grays Athletic to fellow Conference National side Crawley Town.[5] On 27 January 2007, he scored the only goal of a 1–0 win at Tamworth.[6] In March that year, he was lent to Rushden & Diamonds for the rest of the season.[7] Wright played once for the England national football C team, playing in a defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina B on 16 September 2008.[8]

In January 2012, it was reported that he rekindled his semi-professional footballing career, by signing for St Neots Town, but this was denied by Wright on his Twitter account.[9]

Wright made his return to professional football on 14 December 2020, signing for League Two side Crawley Town on a non-contract basis.[10] He made his professional debut at the age of 33 in the third round of the FA Cup, coming on as a 90th minute substitute as Crawley won 3–0 against Premier League side Leeds United on 10 January 2021.[11] His brother, Josh, also played in the match – having signed for Crawley as well in January 2021.[12] Wright made his first professional start in EFL League Two against Harrogate Town on 6 February, and was substituted at half time in a 3–1 home loss.[13]

Television

In October 2010, Wright was one of the original cast members in the ITV reality programme The Only Way is Essex. He announced his departure from the show on 23 October 2011, near the end of the third series. He later returned for a cameo appearance in the sixth series and also, for the 2012 Christmas special. He briefly returned again in 2014 and again in 2016.

In November 2011, Wright took part in the eleventh series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. He was the runner-up, losing to McFly bassist Dougie Poynter.[14][15]

From January 2012 until 2017, Wright and Laura Jackson co-presented the Take Me Out spin-off programme Take Me Out: The Gossip for ITV2. Zoe Hardman previously hosted with Wright. The series did not air in 2018.[16] He also appeared as a fitness expert on the ITV Breakfast programme Daybreak for two weeks, to front its mini series Downsize in Dubai.[17]

From 20 June to 7 July 2012, Wright presented and starred in a new ITV2 show, titled Mark Wright's Hollywood Nights. It was later dropped after one series.[18] He was due to co-present with Melanie Sykes on a new entertainment series named My Man Can. After filming one series, ITV made the decision not to air the show.[19]

Since 2013, Wright was a reporter on the ITV series Surprise Surprise.

In 2014, Wright fronted his own ITV2 reality show entitled Party Wright Around The World. In 2014, Wright was one of the celebrities competing in the twelfth series of Strictly Come Dancing. He was paired up with professional dancer Karen Hauer.[20] The couple made into the final in which they came fourth.[21]

Wright also presented The Dengineers with Lauren Layfield on CBBC from 2015 until 2017. He left at the end of the second series and was replaced by Joe Tracini.

In December 2016, Wright made an appearance on an episode of E!'s The Royals (season 3, episode 1).

Wright presented on the American entertainment news programme EXTRA by Warner Bros from 2017 to 2020.

Wright presents series 6 of Channel 5's The Bachelor, based on the US television show of the same name.

On 5 July 2019, Wright guest presented This Morning with Rochelle Humes.[22][23] Wright starred in the BBC programme Who Do You Think You Are? in September 2019.[24]

In January 2021, Wright featured in a BBC iPlayer mini-series, Mark Wright: The Last Chance, about his efforts to revive his professional football career with Crawley Town.[25][26]

Radio

Since 24 December 2012, Wright has presented the "Club Classics" show every Friday and Saturday evening on Heart Radio, between 7 pm and 9 pm.[27] He left in December 2017 when he moved to the United States, and returned to the station in July 2019.[28]

Other work

In June 2013, Wright was signed by online retail giant, Littlewoods, as its new face of menswear, which sees him style and model a capsule collection each season for Littlewoods' own-brand menswear line, Goodsouls.[29] In September 2018 he was signed by Matalan as the face of their menswear range.[30]

In June 2016, he took part in Soccer Aid for the first time. He played for 'England'. He scored a goal from a direct free kick in the 3–2 victory, and was named Man of the Match. Wright also played in the 2018 and 2019 editions of Soccer Aid.

Personal life

He is the brother of fellow professional footballer Josh Wright, whom he plays alongside at Crawley Town, and fellow The Only Way is Essex cast member Jess Wright.[31][32]

On 22 February 2009, Wright was best man at the wedding of the reality star Jade Goody and Jack Tweed, as he was a childhood friend of the groom. Footage of the ceremony was shown in the Sky Living series The Reality Star Who Changed Britain in 2019.[33]

In August 2011, Wright appeared at Redbridge Magistrates' Court charged with using threatening behaviour on a night out. He was found not guilty, while Tweed pleaded guilty to common assault.[34]

Wright was in a relationship with fellow TOWIE cast member Lauren Goodger.[35] Since December 2012, Wright has been in a relationship with former Coronation Street actress Michelle Keegan. They married on 24 May 2015.[36][37]

According to Who Do You Think You Are?, Mark's great-great-grandfather was of Jewish heritage, and his nine-times great grandfather, David Antonio de Mendoza, was a converso of Sephardic Jewish descent who was arrested by the Spanish Inquisition in 1696 accused of secretly practising his ancestors' religion. David, who was 36 at the time, was tortured for two years in Seville using methods including the toca. Once out of prison, David moved his family to Amsterdam where it was safe to practice their faith. His nephew Miguel however, returned to Spain and was burnt at the stake.[38]

Career statistics
As of match played 6 February 2021
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Grays Athletic 2006–07[39][40] Conference National 0000—1[lower-alpha 1]010
Crawley Town (loan) 2006–07[39] Conference National 9100—0091
Rushden & Diamonds (loan) 2006–07[39] Conference National 3000—0030
Bishop's Stortford 2008–09[41] Conference South 13100—00131
2009–10[41] Conference South 8000—0080
Total 211000000211
Crawley Town 2020–21[42] League Two 1010000020
Career total 342100010361
  1. Appearance(s) in Essex Senior Cup

Filmography
As himself
Year Title Notes
2010–2011 The Only Way Is Essex Series regular
2011 I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Series 11 runner-up
2012 Daybreak Guest health expert
2012–2013, 2015–2017 Take Me Out: The Gossip Co-presenter
2012 Mark Wright's Hollywood Nights Presenter
2012 Mark Wright's Football Saints and Sinners Presenter
2013–2015 Surprise Surprise Reporter
2014 Party Wright Around the World Presenter
2014 Strictly Come Dancing Contestant
2015–2017 The Dengineers Co-presenter
2017–2020 Extra Presenter
2019 The Bachelor Presenter
2019 Who Do You Think You Are? Participant
2019 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special Contestant
2021 Mark Wright: The Last Chance Self, documentary

References
  1. "Academy Hotseat - Mark Wright - News Articles". Tottenhamhotspur.com. 5 March 2012.
  2. "TV star Mark Wright quits Heybridge Swifts having played twice". Essex Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2 November 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
  3. "Mark Wright Explains His Love Affair With Football". The FA. 5 June 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  4. Smith, Alex (20 March 2017). "Reality TV star to buy stake in football club". mirror. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  5. "Transfers - November 2006". BBC Sport. 28 November 2006. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  6. "Tamworth 0-1 Crawley". BBC Sport. 27 January 2007. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  7. "Wright leaves Grays for Rushden". BBC Sport. 20 March 2007. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  8. "mark wright - fact file". archive.mehstg.com.
  9. "Unreal confusion over reality star Mark Wright". Cambridge News. Archived from the original on 26 October 2014.
  10. "Mark Wright signs for the Reds". www.crawleytownfc.com. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  11. "Crawley Town 3-0 Leeds United: Marcelo Bielsa's side suffer huge FA Cup upset". BBC Sport. 10 January 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  12. Cameron, Tom (8 January 2021). "Josh Wright joins the Reds". www.crawleytownfc.com. Crawley Town F.C. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  13. "Crawley Town 1–3 Harroagte Town". BBC Sport. 6 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  14. 'I'm a Celeb' runner-up Mark Wright: 'It was an honour to be myself' Daniel Sperling, Digital Spy, 3 December 2011
  15. 9.7m see Dougie Poynter crowned King of the Jungle on 'I'm a Celeb' Liam O'Brien, Digital Spy, 4 December 2011
  16. TOWIE Mark Wright, Zoe Hardman to front Take Me Out spinoff show Alex Fletcher, Digital Spy, 13 December 2011
  17. "Daybreak signs up Mark Wright "to keep people fit and healthy"". Metro. 7 December 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  18. "Mark Wright's Hollywood Nights axed after one series". Metro. 25 August 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  19. "Mark Wright, Melanie Sykes relationship show 'My Man Can' 'axed' by ITV". Digital Spy. 5 June 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  20. "Mark Wright confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing 2014". Digital Spy. 22 August 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  21. https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/strictlycomedancing/entries/06552a0b-9de8-338f-b4ca-258b9a168c39
  22. Scullard, Vickie (5 July 2019). "Mark Wright lets slip toilet row with wife Michelle Keegan on This Morning". Manchester Evening News.
  23. Brooks, Katie (5 July 2019). "This Morning viewers blast Rochelle Humes and Mark Wright presenting". BirminghamLive.
  24. "Mark Wright's emotional family discovery on Who Do You Think You Are?". inews.co.uk. 11 September 2019.
  25. Mark Wright: The Last Chance on BBC iPlayer
  26. "Mark Wright on reviving his football career after quitting the game at 20". 9 January 2021.
  27. "Mark Wright returns to weekends on Heart". 3 July 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  28. Rosseinsky, Katie (3 July 2019). "Mark Wright 'buzzing' as he lands new Heart Radio role". Evening Standard. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  29. "Mark Wright proves he's a natural in front of the camera as he poses for his first modelling campaign". Mirror. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  30. Browne, Amy (18 September 2019). "Matalan launch this year's Alder Hey Christmas pyjamas range". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  31. "Wright joins brother Mark at Crawley" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  32. Twigger, Will (8 January 2021). "Mark Wright's sister Jess says Covid has 'ripped through family like wildfire'". mirror.
  33. Davies, Megan (22 August 2019). "Our Girl's Michelle Keegan explains Mark Wright cameo in Jade Goody documentary". Digital Spy. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  34. "Mark Wright found not guilty after Woodford Green bar scuffle". Ilford Recorder. 4 August 2011. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  35. "'Respect my wife and get over it': Mark Wright hits back at ex Lauren Goodger and her 'endless' mentions". The Irish Independent. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  36. "Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright get married in Bury St Edmunds". BBC. 24 May 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  37. Sharda, Angela (24 May 2015). "Coronation Street star Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright marry in £1m ceremony". International Business Times. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  38. Who Do You Think You Are? on BBC website
  39. "Games played by Mark Wright in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  40. "Statistics: Grays Athletic". www.graysath-online.com. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  41. "Mark Wright Profile | Aylesbury United FC". www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk.
  42. Mark Wright at Soccerway. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
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