Inside Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright's family plans after 'waiting a long time'

Soap star Michelle Keegan and TOWIE's Mark Wright, who are now expecting their first child together, have previously spoken about their plans to one day start a family

Over the years, Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright made no secret of the fact they have longed to start a family together.

The showbiz couple, both 37, have now announced they are expecting their first child together. They took to Instagram to share the exciting news with their followers on Sunday night and posted a picture of Michelle lovingly holding her bump with Mark looking on. It was captioned: "2025 is going to be a special one for us..."

It's reported the adorable snap was taken in Majorca at the start of November, where Mark and Michelle have their own Spanish holiday home. Michelle shared some snaps during the trip last month, concealing her bump as she told fans: "A couple of days in our favourite place before the Christmas build-up begins."

According to a friend of the couple, Michelle and Mark "kept their pregnancy quiet for a long time" as they wanted to enjoy the moment for themselves at first having waited may years for this moment. "Starting a family has been something they have wanted to do for a long time," a source close to the parents-to-be has said.

Speaking to The Sun, the insider explained: "They are both in amazing places in their careers, and their family home in Essex is all completed. The timing could not have been more perfect." They added that Mark and Michelle's "immediate family have known for a while".

Mark's brother Josh was among those to congratulate the couple as Michelle's pregnancy was revealed on Sunday, commenting on the post: "Over the moon for you both and can’t wait for our boys to meet your little one." Mark's mother said she was "super excited" to welcome another grandchild as she shared the same announcement photo on her Instagram.

Michelle and Mark first crossed paths on holiday in Dubai in 2012, and Mark proposed just a year later. In 2015, they tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony and have since faced pressure to start a family, from both relatives and fans. Michelle once admitted her own mum had been on at her about having future grandchildren.

The Fool Me Once star said in 2019 that she wasn't "getting any younger" but that it wasn't the right time for her to start a family. When asked the intrusive question on the Jonathan Ross Show, Michelle said: "Not yet. Everyone always asks that question. Don't get me wrong, I'm not getting any younger. My mum is on it as well. No plans yet, but we definitely do want children in the future."

Speaking previously to the Mirror, Michelle admitted the scrutiny got to her and said: "It's horrible. People don't know if we're trying. They don't know the background of what's happening. In this day and age, you shouldn't be asking questions like that. I'm asked purely because I'm a woman. 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 actress has always been open about her wishes to start a family. In an earlier interview from 2018 with Women's Health, she remarked: "I've always been broody. I love kids, and I want four, so hopefully in the near future."

Mark once told The Sun about their plans for children: "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. With kids, I used to want three or four. But now, I'm 31, we're not having kids any time before 32. I think we could have two or three. Twins would be great because you're getting two out of the way at once."

Speaking to Heart back in 2019, Mark said he wanted to make sure he was "travelled out" before settling down with a baby. He said that the pair were already "excited" to start a family, but at the time, he wasn't "quite there yet". He said he wanted to be satisfied with how much of the world he'd seen, before bringing a baby into the world.

Mark explained: "I just want to make sure I'm all travelled out. I'm getting to the point where I just want to settle now at home and have a job that brings me home every day, but I'm not quite there yet. The Bachelor brought me to Antigua and South Africa, and Michelle's filming Our Girl and I'm going to live there for a month. I want to be travelled out."

The TOWIE star previously hinted at baby names the couple liked in an interview with Robbie Williams on Heart Radio. He said to the singer: "I've got something to ask you actually, in case this happens. Me and my wife, we're not trying for kids yet, I'm gonna state that, however, we hopefully one day will have kids and she loves both Teddy and Theodora."

Robbie's daughter is called Theodora, which he shortens to Teddy. Mark continued: "I mean she saw a picture I think of you and the family - and said, 'Oh I love that name so much'. '’m asking you, if it comes to it and she wants to call the kid Theodora or Teddy, are you gonna be alright with that?" To which Robbie said he was "absolutely" fine with it.

Michelle has had a busy year career-wise, starring in Netflix's Fool Me Once as well as filming BBC series Ten Pound Poms. The hit show, set in Australia, will return to screens in 2025 and fans can't wait to see Michelle reprise her role as nurse, Kate Thorne.