From Essex Royalty to Public Backlash
Once celebrated as Essex icons through their roles on ITV’s The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE), the Wright family has lost much of its shine. Jess and her brother Mark Jr. launched the family’s fame as original cast members, with grandmother Nanny Pat charming viewers. Mother Carol and father Mark Sr. soon joined, turning them into local celebrities who drew crowds on Brentwood High Street.
Today, their reputation faces serious challenges following controversial podcast remarks.
Podcast Sparks Viral Outrage
On the latest episode of Wright At Home, hosted by Jess, Carol, and sister Natalya, the trio criticized women wearing thong bikinis on beaches. Jess declared, ‘I can’t stand how it’s acceptable to walk around a beach in a thong.’ Natalya added, ‘These girls that do wear them, at least if you’re going to bend over and put your towel on your bed, put like a sarong on.’ Jess called it ‘so gross,’ while Carol noted her husband Mark Sr. finds revealing bikinis ‘unsexy.’
The clip spread rapidly online, drawing accusations of hypocrisy. Photos surfaced showing Jess and Natalya in similar thong bikinis. Fans labeled the comments ‘degrading’ and ‘disgusting.’ The family deleted the clips and apologized: ‘We’ve listened, we hear you and we want to say sorry… Our judgment was wrong and we take full accountability and will do better moving forward. Love Jess, Natalya and Carol.’
Long-Standing Unpopularity in Essex
Locals in Jess’s circle view the backlash as long-overdue. Insiders describe the Wrights as ‘mean and nasty,’ believing they act superior. ‘It’s about time people realised what Jess and Carol were like,’ one source states. ‘They think they are better than everyone else but now they have been found out.’
Recent events have reopened old grievances. Mark Sr., 69 and married to Carol for 42 years, liked racy Instagram posts by OnlyFans model Chelsea Ferguson, including bikini and lingerie shots. Ferguson commented, ‘Big Mark loves my scantily clad photos.’
Carol faces accusations of subtle digs at daughter-in-law Michelle Keegan, who promotes her Orfila Bee swimwear. Friends call Carol a ‘textbook mother-in-law from hell,’ obsessed with her sons. Tension simmers, with Michelle reportedly noting every slight.
TOWIE ‘Mean Girls’ Reputation Resurfaces
During their TOWIE days, Jess and Carol earned ‘mean girls’ labels for fights, arguments, and harsh comments about other women, especially Lauren Goodger, Mark Jr.’s ex. The Wrights showed little warmth toward Lauren, who later blamed the family for their 2012 split.
Lauren recently endorsed a TikTok by ex-TOWIE star Dani Imbert mocking the podcast with a thong bikini video, commenting ‘LOVE this.’
Career Impacts and Family Updates
Post-TOWIE in 2016, Jess has pivoted to influencing and podcasting but struggled elsewhere. Her 2012 single ‘Dance All Night’ peaked at No. 36, X Factor auditions failed, and a Saturdays tryout flopped. Her main deal was a £1 Poundland beauty line, now expanded to pet products. She lives in a £2 million Essex home with husband William Lee-Kemp and son Presley, 2.
Natalya, 25, built a 362,000-follower modeling and influencing career, avoiding reality TV drama. The podcast hit damages her ‘clean-girl’ image, sources say.
All eyes turn to the next Wright At Home episode for signs of change.
