Congratulations to Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright, who are expecting their first baby together. Fool Me Once actress Michelle, 37, announced the happy news on Instagram on Sunday night.
Alongside a holiday snap of the couple showing Michelle cradling her blossoming bump whilst looking lovingly towards her husband during a beach outing, the actress penned in the caption: "2025 is going to be a special one for us…"
The comments section was quickly inundated with congratulations from friends and fans, with one person writing: "Omggg congratulations to you both! Lovely news," while another added: "Awwww many congratulations. What wonderful news."
How long have Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright been together?
The announcement comes nine years after Michelle and Mark tied the knot. The couple were married in front of family and friends on 24 May 2015 – as featured exclusively in HELLO! Magazine. They exchanged their vows in St Mary's Church in Bury St Edmonds before celebrating at a reception in a marquee set up in the grounds of the Tudor mansion Hengrave Hall in Suffolk.
© Karwai Tang, GettyEXCLUSIVE: 'I was Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright's wedding guest'
The couple first met in Dubai back in 2012 while Michelle was starring as Tina McIntyre in Coronation Street and Mark was appearing on The Only Way Is Essex. Nine months later, Mark took Michelle back to Dubai for a romantic holiday, where he popped the question
Mark told The Mirror at the time: "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."
In the years that followed, Michelle and Mark spent a considerable period of time apart; in 2017 Mark moved to America after being hired as an entertainment reporter for E!, and Michelle was jetting around the world with her various filming commitments.
But in February 2019, Mark confirmed he had returned to the UK. Speaking later about his two-year stint in LA, Mark admitted he had missed his wife and family too much. "Four, five months in, I sat back and I was a bit lonely," he confessed.
"I wasn't that happy, and obviously I went there to get a better job and to get more money as we say. And I was without my wife, who wasn't living there because she couldn't and my family weren't there, my mum, my dad, my brothers and sisters, my friends."
What have Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright said about having children?
Mark and Michelle have been inundated with questions about whether they were planning to start a family over the years.
Speaking to Women's Health in 2018, Michelle explained that she was too busy for kids at the time but admitted: "I've always been broody. I love kids, and I want four, so hopefully in the near future."
When asked about starting a family by The Sun Online, Mark revealed their schedules had got in the way of family plans. "We say we're going to try [for a baby] every year but something comes up with work. So it'll be Michelle filming in South Africa and then I got the job in Los Angeles – so we think, right, we'll try next year," he said.
Meanwhile, in an interview with HELLO! Jessica Wright revealed that she was pleased she was having a child at the same time as her brother Josh. She added: "Hopefully, Mark and Michelle will be [parents] soon, too."
Where will Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright raise their first child?
In 2022, the couple finally moved into their dream Essex megamansion after months of building work on their forever home. Impressive features of the Wright/Keegan residence include their very own inside bar and a jaw-dropping sauna and steam room in their pristine master bathroom. The bathroom space also features a rainfall shower, porcelain countertops, marbled tiles, and an Instagram-worthy free-standing bath.
Outside, the wonder continues with plenty of land boasting incredible vistas across the countryside and the couple also have a massive outdoor pool which wouldn't look out of place in a five-star hotel.
