Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright recently announced the delightful news they welcomed their first child.

The Brassic star, 37, and the reality star, 38, took to their social media pages to share the happy announcement. The couple revealed they are parents to a baby girl who they have called Palma Elizabeth Wright. The adorable black and white photo shows the couple holding hands with their newborn daughter.

And they wrote in the caption: “Together we have a new love to share… Our little girl” followed by a white heart emoji. Mark and Michelle first announced the pregnancy in a sweet post shared in December. Before they made their pregnancy announcement, the couple kept things low-key but would sometimes share small updates with fans.

A month after announcing the pregnancy, it was revealed Mark’s grandfather passed away. Mark and his sister Jessica said their last goodbyes to their grandad Eddie who died a few months after being rushed to hospital due to a fall.

Mark Wright’s grandfather passes away

Mark paid tribute to his grandfather in January ( 
Image:
ITV)

In January, it was revealed Mark’s beloved grandfather passed away while “surrounded by his loved ones”. The TV personality’s grandad had been struggling with health issues since a fall in the summer, which resulted in him being hospitalised. Mark shared a photo of him and his grandfather as he paid tribute to him.

“For 37 years that I have known you Grandad, I wondered and even asked you when I was a little boy numerous times “when do you think you will go to heaven” I posed this question often, because I dreaded it so much,” he wrote. “I’ve had messages from hundreds of people, some I haven’t seen in over 20 years. EVERY message has the same words written in some way. GENTLEMAN – KIND – LEGEND!! All these things you were and more.

“You loved your family so much and your biggest success is how close we all are and how many of us there is. You never got angry, you backed us no matter what, you never said no, even when I asked you to come on my stag do in Vegas at 83 (you still hold the record for the only person ever to order a cup of tea in a Vegas nightclub at 2am) If you told us off for being little shits growing up, you’d apologise.”

He continued at the time: “You waved us off from the window every time we left your house & even 3 hours before you fell asleep forever, short of breath & not much energy left, you uttered the words “il come down and see you off son” that sums you up, you put EVERYONE first. You made everyone feel so special and left a lasting impression on everyone I know. My friends love you, my wife loves you and everyone you met loves you.

“Grandad you can never be replaced because you was 1 in a million, but we can make sure your legacy lives on. I will continue to be the gentleman you taught me to be, will look after Nanny and continue to make you proud as 1 thing is for sure, you were my biggest supporter. Thank you grandad for everything. I’m so grateful I got to love you, be your mate, that you was my teacher, my boxing coach, my taxi driver, my idol, MY GRANDAD EDDIE you legend I LOVE YOU FOREVER.”

Baby pressure

Michelle and Mark were constantly asked about their baby plans

She previously said it was ‘horrible’ that people kept asking questions ( 
Image:
Mike Marsland/WireImage)
The Fool Me Once star said in 2019 that she wasn’t “getting any younger” but that it wasn’t the right time for her to start a family. When asked the intrusive question, Michelle said at the time: “Not yet. Everyone always asks that question. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not getting any younger.”

She added on the Jonathan Ross show: “My mum is on it as well. No plans yet, but we definitely do want children in the future.” The couple’s happy news follows years of speculation from fans and family members about if and when the two stars would start a family together.

Speaking in 2020, former soap star Michelle revealed her loved ones had finally stopped asking when she was going to have a baby. “I get asked about children whereas Mark wouldn’t for example,” she explained to Women’s Health. Michelle added: “Why haven’t I had a child? When am I going to have a child?’ I don’t know what they want me to say. I don’t know what the right or wrong answer is.” When quizzed if her family ask her the dreaded question, the star laughed and replied: “Not any more!… People don’t mean any harm by it, but they know what the answer’s going to be.”

And when she spoke to The Mirror about being asked about baby plans, she replied: “It’s horrible. People don’t know if we’re trying. They don’t know the background of what’s happening. In this day and age, you shouldn’t be asking questions like that. I’m asked purely because I’m a woman. But I’m immune to it now – it’s like a reaction, and as soon as I hear it I brush it off as it’s no one else’s business.”