Paddy Doherty wants to fight 'arrogant' Mark Wright
Celebrity Big Brother winner Paddy Doherty says he would love to fight Mark Wright in a celebrity boxing match, calling the former TOWIE star cocky and arrogant after a 2011 BAFTA encounter and claiming he could knock him out in the first round. The Irish TV personality, 67, made the comments while discussing rivals he would face in the ring.
Key Takeaways
- Paddy Doherty wants a celebrity boxing bout with Mark Wright, 39, and says he would knock him out in round one.
- The friction dates to a 2011 BAFTA meeting when both of their shows were nominated.
- He also named Calum Best as another star he would love to fight.
- Mark Wright has not publicly responded; Metro sought comment from his representatives.
Why does Paddy Doherty want to fight Mark Wright?
In an interview with The Sun, reported by the Daily Star, Paddy Doherty said he would love to fight “the fella out of Essex” because he seems “really cocky and arrogant.”
The former bare-knuckle boxer and Big Fat Gypsy Weddings star added that Wright is “above himself” and that he would love the two of them in the ring. Despite the age gap, he guaranteed a first-round knockout.
Paddy Doherty won Celebrity Big Brother in 2011. Wright rose to fame on The Only Way Is Essex and later built a presenting career. For more showbiz updates, see our celebrity breaking news hub.
What happened at the BAFTAs in 2011?
Paddy Doherty said his view of Wright goes back to the 2011 BAFTAs. Big Fat Gypsy Weddings and The Only Way Is Essex were both up for the YouTube Audience Award that year.
“I met him at the awards, at the BAFTAs,” he recalled. “He wasn’t rude to me I wouldn’t let him be, not in a million years, but he had that look, like look at me. You get it on, I’ll do it!”
Metro noted the bad blood appears one-sided so far. Wright has not previously spoken about the meeting, and the outlet said it had reached out to his representatives for comment.
Who else does Paddy Doherty want in the ring?
Paddy Doherty also said he would love to fight Calum Best, the late George Best’s son and a familiar reality TV face. The pair worked together on RTÉ’s Celebrity Bainisteoir in 2012.
Separately, he confirmed his 2012 autobiography, Hard Knocks & Soft Spots, is being adapted into a film and that an actor has been cast to play him. He is involved in the project but declined to name the actor.
Has Mark Wright answered the challenge?
As of the reports, Mark Wright has not replied to Paddy Doherty’s remarks. Metro noted he has been focused on life as a new dad after he and wife Michelle Keegan welcomed their daughter, Palma, in March 2025.
Whether any celebrity bout ever happens remains unclear. For now, Paddy Doherty’s challenge stands as a pointed blast from one reality TV veteran to another, rooted in a brief BAFTA run-in more than a decade ago.