Full of East End promise
ESSEX boy Mark Wright has a suspicion that “something on the iffy side” happened in his family history. “It’s the unknown and that scares me and excites me,” he says.
The TOWIE star turned TV personality is engaging on screen, and his journey through his ancestors’ lives is a fascinating one.
He’s from a close-knit East End clan and, with his grandad Eddie his idol, his “number one goal” is to give Eddie answers.
Mark says he grew up hearing half stories from his grandad about where the Wrights might be from – there’s a rumour of Italian heritage.
And, in other Wright family stories, Mark’s great great grandfather is said to have disappeared to America without telling his wife, to buy horses from Native Americans.
Starting off in London’s East End, Mark gets his first surprise when he sees his great-great- grandfather’s birth and marriage certificate.
There’s a criminal past that is brought to light that could
answer a few questions.
Later, Marks looks at his great-grandmother Annie’s family line.
With the discovery that his three-times-greatgrandfather Henry was a Passover baker, it seems his family could be Jewish.
In an amusing turn of events, the investigation leads to the discovery of relatives in Southern Spain.
“Right near Marbella!” says Mark, full of excitement. “On the beach, Plaza Beach, cocktail in hand, I can now – when I’m sat there like that – say ‘this is home’. Straight outta Marbs!”