Michelle: “Having Mark back puts me under pressure”

As Mark Wright heads home to the UK, sources say Michelle isn’t ready for babies just yet

He insisted in H December that he had no plans to quit his presenting gig with US show Extra but, last week, Mark Wright appeared to make a dramatic U-turn when he confirmed he had left the La-based show and was returning home to Essex to be with his wife Michelle Keegan.

The couple have had a longdistance romance since 2017 – when Mark, 32, jetted out to the States for his presenting role, while Michelle, 31, filmed around the world for eight months for Our Girl. But as Mark returns home, Michelle is due to fly to South Africa for four months in April to shoot a new series of the BBC drama.

GUILTY

And sources say the actress can’t help but feel guilty he’s given up his dream role and has told pals she worries she’ll now be put under pressure by his family to start thinking about a baby.

A source says, “Michelle didn’t like being apart from Mark and she’s excited about his return, but she’s still feeling guilty that he’s leaving his dream job. Mark said he was ready to come home and focus on their marriage. He doesn’t mind that she’s got a fourmonth shoot in South Africa, as he says he’ll be able to visit her more often with his work schedule freed up a bit.”

However, the insider added, “Michelle also thinks that once they’re back living in the same country permanently, the baby questions from his family are going to start rolling in. She’s even told pals she reckons they’ll be bending his ear about having children while she’s away in South Africa. Michelle has always said she wants a baby, but only when she and Mark are ready.”

Closer previously reported how Michelle felt under pressure from Mark’s family – particularly mum Carol – to have a baby when she attended a hen do for his brother Josh’s now-wife Holly last summer. Carol has been open about her eagerness for grandkids, once saying, “I will be [a grandmother] soon, I’m sure. And they reckon they come like buses, so I know that’s going to happen to me.”

But Michelle has previously said their conflicting schedules made it too unrealistic – insisting recently, “We’ve not planned anything and realistically nothing can happen right now because I’m too busy” – and sources say she doesn’t want to have to keep justifying herself

The insider says, “Michelle is really ambitious and still has a lot she wants to achieve in her career – she isn’t quite ready to step back and live a quiet life with Mark at home.

EXPECTATIONS

“She still wants a few more years of pursuing her dreams around the acting world. She wants to be a mum someday, but she doesn’t want to feel rushed or guilted into it to live up to other people’s expectations. She’s told pals it’s been hard with Mark living so far away and, once she’s back from South Africa, she wants to enjoy quality time together before they have the baby chat.”

❛ SHE STILL HAS A LOT SHE WANTS TO ACHIEVE IN HER ACTING CAREER ❜