Mark Wright admitted the stress to begin a household with Michelle Keegan was ‘exhausting work’ as couple centered on their careers – after actress hit again at ‘sexist’ questions on their non-public life

Mark Wright admitted the prospect of starting a family with actress wife Michelle Keegan was ‘hard work’ – eight years before announcing her pregnancy. 

The couple, both 37, revealed in separate Instagram posts on Sunday that they will welcome their first child together in the new year. 

But Mark had previously insisted he would wait for ‘a year or two’ before starting a family with former Coronation Street star Michelle, who he married in 2015, with the couple opting to put their careers first. 

Appearing on Loose Women in 2016, he said: ‘It’s hard work with the pressure of having babies.’ 

The former TOWIE cast-member admitted much of the pressure came from his own family, as well as the expectation that any children they have will inherit their good looks. 

He joked: ‘We’re going to give birth to an ugly duckling and let everyone down.

Mark Wright admitted the prospect of starting a family with actress wife Michelle Keegan was ‘hard work’ – eight years before announcing her pregnancy

Appearing on Loose Women in 2016, Mark insisted he would wait for ‘a year or two’ before starting a family with former Coronation Street star Michelle

‘Aunty Debbie is the first of the sisters to become a grandmother and she tells my mum every day that being a grandmother is so much better than being a mum.

‘So now, my mum’s on our case. Hurry up and make it happen, I want to be a nan.’ 

He added: ‘I think we’ve got another year or two of her nagging and we’ll just have to do it. When she gives birth there will be 300 Wrights around her.’ 

Michelle also  revealed her ‘frustration’ at the constant questions she received about her baby plans.

Speaking to You Magazine in 2021, she also said: ‘I’m used to people asking me but it’s no one else’s business.

‘Nobody else knows what goes on behind closed doors. I think that’s the reason that question affects me so much – it’s very private!

‘Mark is asked about it occasionally but I’m asked every single time.’

Asked whether her family still asked her about her plans, she confessed: ‘Not any more! People don’t mean any harm by it, but they know what the answer’s going to be.’

Michelle previously revealed her ‘frustration’ at the constant questions she received about her baby plans with Mark

During a 2019 interview, Michelle, who was 32 at the time, spoke of her ‘frustration’ over being constantly asked, saying: ‘In this day and age, you shouldn’t ask questions like that.’ 

She said: ‘They don’t know the background of what’s happening. It’s no one else’s business.

‘I get so frustrated. I’m asked purely because I’m a woman. But I’m immune to it now – it’s like a reaction and as soon as I hear it I brush it off, as it’s no one else’s business.’

The Netflix actress and TV presenter confirmed the happy news in a joint Instagram post on Sunday, sharing a sweet photograph where Michelle cradled her blossoming bump.

They captioned the post: ‘2025 is going to be a special one for us…’

Former Coronation Street star Michelle married Mark in May 2015 and the couple live together in an Essex mansion they built from scratch.

The actress announced the happy news on Sunday that she and her husband are expecting their first child together

Heart Radio host Mark, who rose to fame on ITVBe series TOWIE, is already an uncle to footballer brother Josh’s two children as well as sister Jess’s son and has spoken over the years about wanting to become a father himself one day.

Michelle’s pregnancy comes a year after she starred in Netflix drama Fool Me Once, which became one of the streamer’s most watched shows of all-time.

The Harlan Coben adaptation saw Michelle play military pilot Maya Stern and was an instant global hit, with over 98,200,200 views in the first 91 days.

She started her career on ITV’s Coronation Street where she portrayed Tina for six years before leaving the Cobbles in 2014.

Her first serious role after the soap was in the BBC drama Our Girl, which aired the same year she married husband Mark, who left TOWIE in 2011 after three seasons.

In recent years she has also starred in historic drama Ten Pound Poms, which is filmed in Australia, and Sky TV comedy Brassic.

Michelle’s pregnancy comes a year after she starred in Netflix drama Fool Me Once, which became one of the streamer’s most watched shows of all-time