Mark Wright has disclosed that he could be sidelined for up to three months after suffering a back fracture, an injury that follows a rib fracture he sustained just months earlier. The 39-year-old reality star and presenter said he 'heard a pop' in his back about five weeks ago, initially dismissing it as a muscle problem, but an ultrasound scan has revealed a more serious condition.
Ultrasound reveals another fracture
In a video shared on his Instagram page dedicated to golf, Wright explained the sequence of events. 'You've probably been thinking, "Where's he been? Where's the golf content?" Well, remember that stress fracture I had on my rib, on the right side, a couple of months back?' he began. 'About five weeks ago I felt a pop, or a tear, in my back, and I just thought it was a muscular thing. But five weeks on, and it's not better, so I went for an ultrasound scan last night, and it looks like I've got another fracture.'
The former TOWIE personality now believes he sustained both fractures 'at the same time', having experienced pain since February, yet he continued to play golf throughout. He was at the hospital for a CT scan to determine the severity, admitting, 'it's not looking good'.
Impact on golf ambitions
Wright, who has been training intensively to improve his golf handicap, acknowledged that he has been 'training too hard'. He stated, 'It's been a devastating year, but that's what you get, I suppose, for training – doing too much, trying to get down too quick.' If the back fracture is 'deep', he could face a 12-week recovery period, leaving him 'absolutely gutted'.
In his caption, he elaborated on the setback: 'The chances of hitting 4.0 by the time I turn 40 in January, is now looking slim after having months out. I keep coming back too early. I'm hoping in a couple of weeks when I'm back – that's the end of it and I can push right through until Jan, to see how close I can get. I cannot wait to be back out on the course.'
Support from fans and family
Wright, who is married to actress Michelle Keegan, also 39, received an outpouring of well-wishes in the comments, with fans hoping for a 'speedy recovery'. The couple, who wed in 2015, have a daughter, Palma, born last March, and live in a £3.5million mansion in Essex, which they documented renovating online.
Keegan, a former Coronation Street star, is currently filming for the upcoming Netflix drama The Woods, based on a novel by Harlan Coben. She previously starred in the globally successful Fool Me Once in 2023. Recent reports have suggested Wright feels he is 'living in Michelle's shadow' as her career flourishes, with her reportedly earning £5m last year. However, Wright continues to express his admiration for her publicly, recently sharing a sweet video of their daughter with the caption, 'They tell you nothing prepares you for loving your daughter this much… but they never met her mum.'
In June, for Keegan's 39th birthday, he joked she 'doesn't look a day over 21', adding, 'You're too modest to realise how much of a special person you are, but what you do for us and everyone around you is more than you'll ever realise.'
