Cliff Notes – Mark Wright shares ‘tough’ goal after welcoming daughter with Michelle Keegan

Mark Wright, now a first-time father to daughter Palma, is balancing parenting with training for the 2025 TCS London Marathon, admitting that the start has been challenging due to injuries and new responsibilities.
Despite the difficulties, he and wife Michelle Keegan are managing their busy lives as a team, with Mark receiving advice from fellow celebrity dads to "sleep when you can."
Reflecting on his marathon goals, Mark aims to complete the race in under four hours, acknowledging that his training has been less rigorous compared to his previous marathon experience.

Mark Wright shares ‘tough’ goal after welcoming daughter with Michelle Keegan

Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan are first-time parents to daughter Palma (Picture: Instagram)

Mark Wright has opened up on life since becoming a dad as he juggles fatherhood with training for the 2025 TCS London Marathon.

The Heart radio presenter, 38, welcomed his first child, a daughter named Palma Elizabeth Wright, with wife Michelle Keegan in March.

And speaking about how he’s juggling his busy career, being a new dad, and preparing for the race, Mark confessed that things haven’t had the best start.

Speaking exclusively to Metro, Mark, who has teamed up with GetPRO to help him prepare for the big day, said: ‘It’s not great this year.

Mark is juggling being a first-time dad with gruelling marathon training (Picture: GetPRO)

Mark took on a 32km run club through London’s iconic Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (Picture: GetPRO)

‘I started late, I had an injury, and then had a baby, so obviously that took a lot of time. Last time I ran the marathon I was militant, so it’s just not been as good.’

When it comes to squeezing in runs between life as a new dad, Mark admitted it’s been ‘tough’, but he and Michelle make a great team.

‘It’s been tough because you’re out on the road for two or three hours at a time, but we make it work as a team, so it’s all good,’ he explained.

Mark added that, among tips from fellow celebrity dads including Sir Elton John and Ed Sheeran, the best tip that he’s received so far is: ‘Sleep when you can!’

Mark and Michelle welcomed daughter Palma into the world in March (Picture: Instagram)

Discussing his gruelling training before embarking on a 32km run club through London’s iconic Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Mark added: ‘If I get through 20 miles, I know I’ll be alright, because the last one I did I seized three times before the end, so if that happens again I could be screwed.

‘I’m going into the marathon this year busier, so it’s been harder. I’m taking it seriously, but I’m going to enjoy it. The last time I said if I could do anything under three and a half hours that would be great, but this time I’ll probably still want to try and get under four.’

Mark and Michelle have been together since December 2012.

The couple reportedly met backstage at The X Factor and subsequently bumped into each other at numerous other events.

Mark and Michelle have been together since December 2012 (Picture: Getty Images)

‘I chased her for a while,’ Mark revealed on the Private Parts podcast hosted by Jamie Laing. ‘Basically she gave me the elbow for about a year and then finally I got my way, after a lot of work.’

The pair got engaged in September 2013 just nine months after they began dating. On 24 May, 2015, they were married.

At the time, he told The Mirror: ‘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.’

They married on May 24, 2015, at St Mary’s Church in Bury St Edmonds before celebrating at a reception on the grounds of the Tudor mansion Hengrave Hall in Suffolk.

The couple announced they were expecting in December 2024 with a pregnancy photoshoot captioned: ‘2025 is going to be a special one for us…’