Mark Wright has admitted trying to get Michelle Keegan to go on a date with him was harder than cracking America.
The TOWIE star, 36, bagged a presenting gig in the US after years on reality TV here, but admits his stateside success was nothing compared to wooing his future wife.
Speaking on the Private Parts podcast to host Jamie Laing, Mark recalled: "I chased her for a while. Basically she gave me the elbow for about a year and then finally I got my way, after a lot of work.
"I don't know who was harder to crack actually, her or my American boss. Probably her, and that's saying something.'
"Then about literally a year later of us bumping into each other I finally sort of asked her out and it went from there.'
The couple first met backstage at The X Factor before crossing paths again three days later at a Manchester United charity dinner.
The following week they rocked up at the National Television Awards, with Mark previously confessing Michelle caught his eye when she gushed he was "fit" on the red carpet.
The pair went on to marry in 2015 before Mark bagged a year-long contract presenting a late night segment for Extra alongside Mario Lopez at Universal Studios in Los Angeles.
However the reality star quit the job after two years, saying he was struggling with the separation from his wife.
Speaking about his experience he said: "It was tough. I'm married and my wife was filming a lot back in the UK, Europe and South Africa at the time.'
'So she couldn't be with me full time and I'm a married man, living in Hollywood, but without my wife.
'After a while you start to think, 'What's most important? Your dreams or your happiness?'"
Mark and Michelle recently shared a sweet pic of them cuddling their nephew Dustin, who is Josh Wright's son.
In his caption, Mark gushed over his little 'warrior' nephew as he shared the special moment with his 1.8 million Instagram followers.
While the majority of the star's fans rushed to congratulate his family on the arrival of another bundle of joy, others asked when he would start his own family with Michelle.
One of his followers said: "You would make the most beautiful parents. Can't wait until the day you get to break the news to us."
