Daily Star Sunday

It’s all gone wrong as Mr Wright axed

- EXCLUSIVE by ED GLEAVE TV Editor

MARK Wright’s presenting has got the thumbs down from TV chiefs as his show The Bachelor has been axed.

The decision is a big blow for the hunk who is hoping to become one of telly’s top hosts.

Bosses at Channel 5 have pulled the plug after just one series with him at the helm.

A spokeswoma­n last night told the Daily Star Sunday: “We can confirm that The Bachelor will not be returning for another series on Channel 5.”

The Bachelor was revived by the network last year with a big fanfare and personal trainer Alex Marks as the singleton looking for love.

Mark, 33, was paid a bumper fee to front the series in the hope he would boost viewing figures, but it flopped. The series was also panned by the critics, with one calling it “tired, predictabl­e and a little offensive”.

A TV insider said: “Everyone had hoped getting Mark to present it would guarantee big ratings, but that just didn’t happen.

“For the show to be axed isn’t a good sign for Mark. The Bachelor was the biggest presenting gig Mark had ever had on UK telly and it’s already been dropped.”

A Channel source said: “The bosses want to focus on more establishe­d stars who have been around for decades, like Tony Robinson and Chris Tarrant, rather than new talents like Mark.

“They feel like the more serious shows are more likely to bring in big ratings.”

Mark previously landed a plum role in the US as a showbiz correspond­ent on top TV show Extra, but his contract with it ended early last year.

He is now continuing with his radio show on Heart FM and it’s rumoured he will return to The Only Way Is Essex for its 10th anniversar­y later this year.

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 ??  ?? DROPPED: Mark’s TV show
DROPPED: Mark’s TV show

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