Stanidng by the ocean looking ethereal in a diaphonous white two-piece, with her husband striding towards her on the sand, Michelle Keegan‘s baby announcement had all the hallmarks of an A-list photoshoot.
Indeed, the 37-year-old actress and her presenter husband may even have reminded fans of Justin and Hailey Bieber, who posed for a strikingly similar set of images to announce her pregnancy with their son Jack.
As well as delighting fans, who have been eagerly awaiting such happy news since they wed in 2015, it crowned the final step in Michelle’s transformation from a soap actress with a love of fake tan and flirty frocks to one of the nation’s most in-demand actresses, with a sophisticated look to match.
Michelle first found fame at the age of 20 playing Tina McIntyre in Coronation Street and since then her career has gone from strength to strength, reaching a hiatus this year when she starred in the Netflix hit Fool Me Once, which broke streaming records.
American TV execs reportedly took notice and there were rumours of a multi-million pound deal with Netflix – quite the turnaround for an actress who started out on the Corrie cobbles.
As well as a career overhaul her fashion and beauty has also evolved in line with her professional success, ditching the big hair, fake tan and mini dresses she loved in the early 2010s in favour of an influencer-inspired bikini phase on Instagram and now a more chic pared-back style.
Michelle Keegan and husband Mark Wright shocked fans when they announced they were expecting their first child on Sunday
Now Michelle’s red carpets appearances sees her oozing sophistication in designer gowns but back then when promoting Corrie she would often sport a mini dress (pictured 2008)
Michelle joined the cast of Corrie as David Platt’s love interest Tina in 2008, before being dramatically killed off after quitting the show in 2014 (pictured 2008)
Here MailOnline takes a look at how Michelle went from tanned teen soap star to A-list mother-to-be ….
The Coronation Street Years
Michelle joined the cast of Corrie as David Platt’s love interest Tina in 2008, before being dramatically killed off after quitting the show in 2014.
During her first few years in the spotlight the actress had a love of fake and had yet to nail down the flawless make-up look she wears today.
Now Michelle’s red carpets appearances sees her oozing sophistication in designer gowns but back then when promoting Corrie she would often sport a mini dress.
Michelle has often posted throwback snaps which underline the remarkable change in her stunning looks – with clever make-up and sleek cosmetics taking her look from the cobbles to the bright lights of Hollywood.
She had yet to nail down the flawless make-up look she wears today (pictured 2009)
Here MailOnline takes a look at how Michelle (R) went from tanned teen soap star to A-list mother-to-be (pictured with co-star Katherine Kelly 2008)
Michelle first found fame at the tender age of 20 playing Tina McIntyre in Coronation Street and since then her career has gone from strength to strength
Her iconic character Tina was known for high ponytail and hoop earrings, with a glamorous Michelle looking worlds away from her alter-ego when she appeared in show’s 60th anniversary special back in 2020.
One fan wrote: ‘Michelle looks different #Corrie’ while a second typed: ‘Why does Michelle Keegan look nowt like Michelle Keegan on this #Corrie thing.’
Another wrote: ‘Just watching the documentary about Corrie and Michelle Keegan doesn’t even look like Michelle Keegan anymore. What has she done?
One more fan wrote: ‘Watching this #Corrie60 thing and Michelle Keegan doesn’t look like Michelle Keegan anymore.’
During her first few years in the spotlight the actress had a love of fake (pictured 2008)
Michelle’s red carpet appearances (pictured 2008) were a lot less polished than todays
Michelle pictured modelling at Liverpool Fashion Week 2009
Michelle pictured after joining cast of Corrie in 2008
Finding her fashion feet
Michelle’s time in the spotlight saw her begin to try and embrace a more glamorous sense of style as well as bag a famous fiancee in The Wanted’s Max George.
Opting for dramatic gowns on red carpets rather than leggy mini dresses she also started to sport a more muted make-up palette.
Max later admitted that he didn’t even remember most moments of their relationship because of his ‘serious drinking problem’ which led to their split in July 2012.
The popstar said that Michelle couldn’t handle his drinking and called off their engagement three months before the news of their split went public.
Speaking to The Sun in 2013, he said: ‘I had a real problem with drinking too much and that was, without doubt, the downfall of our relationship.
‘I was drinking more to forget the fact I was with someone who wasn’t making me that happy.
‘Michelle is seen as like Britain’s Sweetheart nowadays, I understand it might have looked as if there was something to hide, [but] there was no betrayal in terms of cheating.’
Michelle’s time in the spotlight saw her begin to try and embrace a more glamorous sense of style as well as bag a famous fiancee in The Wanted’s Max George (pictured 2012)
Opting for dramatic gowns on red carpets she also started to sport a more muted make-up palette (pictured with Max 2011)
The couple were together for two years, both hailing from Manchester, and Max proposed to Michelle in June 2012 after a year together (pictured 2012)
Meeting Mark
Michelle and Mark’s romance blossomed in 2012, before they tied the knot in 2015 and have since gone from strength to strength as they build their careers and homes.
The met coincidentally in Dubai while enjoying separate holidays there for New Year’s and they reportedly fell in love immediately.
By now Michelle had launched her own fashion range with Very and looked miles away from her time on the cobbles.
The change led to speculation of surgery and in 2014 a spokesperson for Michelle vehemently denied she had undergone a breast enhancement operation.
Then a year later Michelle herself said: ‘[The speculation] doesn’t really upset me. People always say, “Have you or haven’t you?” But it’s my business. It’s my face. So what if I have or haven’t? I don’t read it when people speculate about it.’
In an interview with Alan Carr in the same year, Michelle denied she had her teeth fixed, insisting they were her own. She declared: ‘Just to say… I have 100 per cent not had my teeth done… They are MY teeth. So I’ll take that as a compliment. Thanks.’
Michelle and Mark’s romance blossomed in 2012, before they tied the knot in 2015 and have since gone from strength to strength as they build their careers and homes (pictured 2013)
By now Michelle had launched her own fashion range with Very and looked miles away from her time on the cobbles (pictured 2014)
The change led to speculation of surgery and in 2014 a spokesperson for Michelle vehemently denied she had undergone a breast enhancement operation (pictured 2014)
Then a year later Michelle herself said: ‘[The speculation] doesn’t really upset me. People always say, “Have you or haven’t you?” But it’s my business. It’s my face. So what if I have or haven’t? I don’t read it when people speculate about it.’ (pictured 2016)
In 2018, Michelle revealed to the Sunday Express’ S Magazine that she’s flattered fans speculate over her appearance, but admitted she wouldn’t down the plastic surgery route, saying that she’s ‘scared it would go wrong’.
She said: ‘I like the fact people point out they think I’ve had a nose job. They think I’ve had new cheeks, a new chin – but I haven’t and I don’t think I ever would, if I’m being honest. I’m scared it would go wrong!’
While it may not be an option for herself, Michelle did stand up for those who do choose to cosmetically alter their features.
In a nod to the choices of fellow stars, Michelle continued: ‘It’s their face and body and it’s annoying when people slam them for it. Let people live.’
The power couple
Michelle and Mark married in May 2015 in a £1million ceremony at St Mary’s Church in Bury St Edmunds, surrounded by their friends and family, including fellow TOWIE stars James Argent and Lydia Bright.
The lovebirds went on to purchase a stretch of land in Essex for a cool £1.3million in October 2019, where they built their dream home from scratch.
Michelle is now known for her flawless fashion sense and looks flawless whenever she is spotted.
The beauty also regularly showcases her jaw-dropping figure as she slips into skimpy bikinis amid the couple’s sun-soaked holidays.
Michelle and Mark married in May 2015 in a £1million ceremony at St Mary’s Church in Bury St Edmunds, surrounded by their friends and family
Michelle is now known for her flawless fashion sense and looks flawless whenever she is spotted (pictured in June)
The beauty also regularly showcases her jaw-dropping figure as she slips into skimpy bikinis amid the couple’s sun-soaked holidays (pictured in March 2019)
Michelle (L in February) looks worlds away from her former self (R pictured on Corrie in 2008)
Michelle has spoken at length about her exercise regime, having revealed in the past that she struggled with hitting the gym
Hailey Bieber announced she was expecting her first child with husband Justin Bieber – with the pair revealing their baby joy during a surprise vow renewal in Hawaii. Fans of Michelle and Mark will have no doubt noticed the similar styling of their photoshoots
Michelle has spoken at length about her exercise regime, having revealed in the past that she struggled with hitting the gym.
In later years however with the assistance of husband Markand their home workout set-ups, she has managed to overhaul her gym vibe.
In 2021, she revealed her attitude to exercise has changed over the years, after previously feeling ‘guilty’ for not working out consistently.
She told how she would spend hours in the gym out of week if she had a ‘bad week’ with food and exercise, but she has told how her frame of mind has changed and will no longer beat herself up if she doesn’t keep up with her fitness.
She said: ‘It was always the guilt for me, a lot of the time, and why I would be in the gym for two hours because I was like ‘oh I’ve really been bad this week, so I need to go to the gym, I need to work it off… And I was in the gym for two hours.’
Michelle went on to detail how Mark’s regimen helped her with her own after he set up his own fitness app with his brother Josh for home workouts: ‘The fact that he would roll out of bed, go into the garden…
‘And I could hear him setting up live outside and I thought ‘I’ve literally got no excuse, I’m in the bedroom. I did it there and then – got my gym mat on the floor and I did half an hour HIIT in the bedroom, and it just set me up for the day…
‘[It] made me feel a lot more positive with what was going on at that time.’
Speaking again about the ‘guilt’ element of the gym, she said: ‘I only set myself a target to spend 45 minutes in the gym and then I’m done…
‘I think it’s important to do everything in moderation. Set yourself a realistic goal so that you have something to work towards. If I really, really don’t want to go to the gym – I don’t go. I just don’t punish myself, it’s not my life to go the gym…
‘If I can go to the gym I will, if I can’t, I can’t. I think the more you go, the more you guilt trip yourself because you feel like it’s part of your routine. If I can go four or five times a week, great. If I can only go twice – or once – at least I’ve been.’
Touching on her different types of exercise, she said last year: ‘I’ve taken up cycling on a proper road bike, We go out three times a week and do 11 miles!…
‘It’s been nice because we’ve both been working from home. Normally we could be out all day or I have to go to Manchester [to film Brassic] or Mark is in London.’