Jess Wright | |
|---|---|
 Wright in 2019 | |
| Born | Jessica Sophia Wright (1985-09-14) 14 September 1985 Tower Hamlets, London, England |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2010–present |
| Spouse |
William Lee-Kemp (m. 2021) |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives |
|
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Label | All Around the World |
Jessica Sophia Wright (born 14 September 1985) is an English television personality and former singer. From 2010 to 2016, she appeared in the ITVBe reality series The Only Way Is Essex. Throughout her time on the series, she pursued a music career, notably releasing the single "Dance All Night". Since leaving the series, she has competed in various series including Dance Dance Dance, Celebrity Karaoke Club and Cooking with the Stars. She also co-hosts the Wright at Home podcast alongside her sister and mother.
Early life
Jessica Sophia Wrigh was born on 14 September 1985 in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.1 She is the elder daughter of Carol and Mark Wright Sr, as well as the sister of Mark, Josh Wright and Natalya, the cousin of Elliott Wright and Leah Wright, and the granddaughter of Patricia Brooker.2 She went to Bancroft's School in Woodford Green, which she has credited with nurturing her dream to work in entertainment.3 She has a degree in Business and Marketing Management from the University of Westminster.4
Career
In 2010, Wright was cast alongside her family on the ITV reality series The Only Way Is Essex. In December 2011, the cast of The Only Way Is Essex released a cover of the Wham! song "Last Christmas", with their own version of the show's theme song, "The Only Way Is Up" by Yazz, as the single's B-side.5 In 2012, Wright signed a three-single deal with All Around the World. She later went to Marbella to film a music video for her debut single, "Dance All Night", which was released on 16 September 2012 and peaked at number 36 on the UK Singles Chart.6 Wright released her second single, "Dominoes", featuring Mann on 17 February 2013, which charted on the UK Official Dance Chart at number 36. Wright then released a further track, "Come With Me", in June 2013, as part of Clubland 23.7
In 2016, after appearing in 16 series, she announced her departure from The Only Way Is Essex.8 Wright returned for one episode five months later to visit friend Bobby Norris, following the death of his dog.9 A year after her exit, she competed on Dance Dance Dance; she was the second to be eliminated.10 In 2020, she was a contestant on the first series of Celebrity Karaoke Club.11 Then in 2025, she competed in the fifth series of the ITV cooking competition series Cooking with the Stars. She was eliminated first.12 Also in 2025, Wright began fronting the Wright at Home podcast alongside mother Carol and sister Natalya. An episode of their podcast garnered controversy in March 2026 after the three made "degrading" comments about women who wear thong bikinis. They later apologised for their comments.13
Personal life
Wright was in a relationship with her fellow The Only Way Is Essex co-star Ricky Rayment between 2012 and 2014.14 She married William Lee-Kemp in 2021 and she gave birth to her first child, a boy, in May 2022.15
Filmography
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2010–2016 | The Only Way Is Essex | Main cast |
| 2015 | Celebrity Juice | Panellist |
| 2017 | Dance Dance Dance | Contestant; fourth place |
| 2020 | Celebrity Karaoke Club | Contestant; fourth place |
| 2025 | Cooking with the Stars | Contestant; eighth place |
Discography
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| UK 6 | ||
| "Dance All Night" | 2012 | 36 |
| "Dominoes" (featuring Mann) |
2013 | – |
| "Come with Me" | – | |
| "—" denotes a recording that failed to chart, was ineligible for the chart, or was not released. | ||
References
References
- "Jess Wright reveals 'she's back' 13 years after TOWIE debut". Closer. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
- "Towie's Nanny Pat dies after short illness". BBC News. 16 December 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- "Only Way Is Essex singer owes it to Woodford school". Ilford Recorder. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
- "On TOWIE, We're Not All Uneducated Idiots". The Huffington Post UK. 15 June 2012.
- Copsey, Robert (10 November 2011). "'Only Way Is Essex' stars confirm Christmas single". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
- "JESSICA WRIGHT - Artist - Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- "TOWIE's Jess Wright in shock new career move". Heat. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
- Darvill, Josh (16 February 2016). "Jess Wright quits The Only Way Is Essex after five years". TellyMix.co.uk. Archived from the original on 20 September 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
- "Jessica Wright returns to TOWIE despite quitting five months ago". Metro. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
- "Jess Wright in floods of tears as she is eliminated from Dance Dance Dance". Radio Times. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
- "Who is Jessica Wright engaged to? Meet the Celebrity Karaoke Club star's fiance William Lee-Kemp". Heart. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
- "Cooking with the Stars 2025 cast: Confirmed celebrity line-up". Radio Times. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
- "Jessica Wright issues apology after 'degrading' comments made on her podcast". Hello. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
- Tulloch, Sarah (15 February 2024). "TOWIE's Ricky Rayment's dating history as he confirms romance with Coronation Street star". OK! Magazine. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
- Hamilton, Sophie (6 October 2022). "Exclusive: Jessica Wright reveals her baby boy's exciting new milestone". Hello!. Retrieved 12 November 2022.