About Ian Wright
Ian Wright is a radio and television personality as well as a former professional footballer from England. Wright has played for some of England's biggest football clubs such as Crystal Palace and Arsenal, as well as England's National Team. Moreover, Wright was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to football in 2000. He was also inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame on April 21, 2022.
After his retirement from football, Wright's success extended beyond the pitch as he began presenting a variety of popular radio and television programs. He has been active in the media, usually in football-related radio and television programs. He has presented numerous famous shows including Friends Like These, I'd Do Anything, The National Lottery Wright Ticket, What Kids Really Think, Gladiators, Live from Studio Five, Football Behind Bars, and more.
Early Life & Family
Ian Wright was born on 3rd November 1963 in Woolwich, London, England. His birth name is Ian Edward Wright. He celebrated his 59th birthday this year. Wright was born to his Jamaican immigrant parents Herbert Maclean(father), and Nesta Wright (mother). He was the youngest child in his family and grew up with two elder brothers named Maurice and Nicky. However, his father left the family when Ian was just 18 months old. Later on, his mother remarried but his stepfather did not care about them as well frequently beat him brutally when Ian was a child. He was raised amidst extreme poverty in south-eastern London’s Woolwich area.
Moreover, Ian holds British nationality and belongs to the English-Jamaican ethnicity. His race is black. However, the information regarding his educational qualification is yet to be disclosed.
Ian Wright Career
Football Career
- Ian Wright began playing football in his teenage. Even though he participated in trials at Southend United and Brighton, he was unable to attract sufficient interest to win a professional contract offer.
- Later on, he got the opportunity to play for the Bermondsey-based Sunday league club Ten-em-Bee.
- In early 1985, Wright signed a contract with semi-professional Greenwich Borough for £30 a week. He made an impression on then-manager Steve Coppell throughout his six or seven games.
- In August 1985, he signed professional terms with Crystal Palace. In his first season, Wright rapidly established himself, scoring nine goals to end as Palace's second-highest scorer.
- Then after, he was called up for England B duty in December 1989, though his early influence in the First Divison was limited by a twice-cracked shin bone.
- However, he made a memorable 'Super-sub' appearance in the 1990 FA Cup Final against Manchester United after overcoming the injury.
- In September 1991, he signed for Arsenal for£2.5m, which at the time was a club-record fee.
- On his debut game, Wright scored against Leicester City in a League Cup tie, produced a hat-trick on his league debut against Southampton, and in the final match of the season, scored another hat-trick to take his total to 31 goals in all competitions.
- In July 1998, Wright moved to West Ham United for £500,000. He spent fifteen months as a West Ham player, scoring the winner on his debut against Sheffield Wednesday, without reaching the same form he had at Arsenal.
- Similarly, he had brief stints at Burnley, Celtic, and Nottingham Forest before retiring in 2000.
- In March 2007, Wright was appointed Director of Football Strategy of the Isthmian League team, Ashford Town, with him taking his place on the board of directors after he purchased a stake in the club.
- Further, Wright joined Milton Keynes Dons as a first-team coach on May 18, 2018, but he resigned from the position in 2013.
Broadcasting Career
- Ian Wright began his television career as a guest host on Top of the Pops.
- Later on, he was signed up by ITV to present his own chat show, Friday Night's All Wright, where he interviewed celebrities such as Elton John, Mariah Carey, and Will Smith who ran for two seasons.
- Since then he has presented numerous tv programs including Friends Like These, I'd Do Anything, The National Lottery Wright Ticket, What Kids Really Think, Gladiators, Live from Studio Five, Football Behind Bars, and more.
- In 2019, Wright participated in the nineteenth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!
- Moreover, he is hosting a prime-time game show for ITV called Moneyball since 2021.
- In addition, Wright made a number of appearances in the sportsdocumentaryAll or Nothing: Arsenal on Amazon, which followed the team by spending time with the coaching staff and players behind the scenes both on and off the field throughout their 2021–22 season.
- Furthermore, Wright is also a co-presenter on BBC Radio's 606 football phone-in program. He also hosts Rock 'N' Roll Football, post-match analysis, and chat on Saturdays from 5 to 7.
Punditry Career
- After his retirement from football, Wright appeared as a pundit on BBC Sport's International Match of the Day and has been a pundit for the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and Euro 2004. But he left the show on April 17, 2008.
- He began working for BT Sport in 2013 as a studio analyst for their coverage of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Premier League, and FA Cup.
- Along with Lee Dixon, he was a regular studio pundit for all England matches on ITV since 2014. He also served as one of the primary studio pundits for their coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the Euro 2016.
- In 2017, Wright resigned from BT Sport to take on a larger position at the BBC. He now frequently appears on Match of the Day and Match of the Day 2, and he continues to co-host the 606 phone-in show on Sunday afternoons with Kelly Cates.
- Presently, Wright co-hosts 5 Live Sport on a Monday evening alongside Mark Chapman on BBC Radio 5 Live.
- He also appears every Tuesday on The Debate on Sky Sports Premier League channel, once again teaming up with Kelly Cates.
- As well as, he is one of the BBC's lead pundits for live games, regularly working with Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer.
- Additionally, Wright has co-hosted his own podcast, "Wrighty's House," on The Ringer FC since October 2020. Musa Okwonga, Ryan Hunn, Jeanette Kwakye, Flo Lloyd-Hughes, Carl Anka, and Mayowa Quadri are among the guests who appear on the panel on a rotating basis.
Writing Career
- In 1996, Wright published his autobiography, "Mr. Wright' by Collins Willow when Wright was still a professional player at Arsenal.
- Later, he wrote a new and updated version of his autobiography titled, "A Life in Football" published by Constable in 2016.
- In 2021, he co-wrote his first novel along with Musa Okwonga titled Striking Out.
- Moreover, he is also a columnist for the tabloid newspaper The Sun.
Ian Wright's Wife & Children
Ian Wright married twice in his life. Firstly, he married Debbie Martin in 1993. They had two children together, a son named Stacey, and a daughter named Bobbi-Lee. Presently, he is married to Nancy Hallam since 2011. The pair have two daughters together, Lola and Roxanne. Moreover, Wright had three sons named Shaun Wright-Phillips, Bradley, and Brett with his then-girlfriend Sharon Phillips. He also has a daughter named Coco from another relationship.
Altogether, Wright has eight children from four different women.
Ian Wright's Net Worth & Salary
Ian Wright, who has been a part of the sports industry since 1985, amassed great fortune and fame through his long career as a football player. He also earns from his other professions as a radio and television personality. As of 2022, his net worth is estimated at around $20 million. Similarly, his net worth is rising every year as a result of his extensive job experience and skills.
Ian Wright's Height & Weight
Ian Wright stands at a tall height of 1.97m (5 feet 9 inches) but his body weight is not known. He has a pair of black eyes and his hair color is also black. Meanwhile, there is no information regarding his other body measurements such as the chest, waist, biceps, and shoe size. Further, his sexual orientation is straight.
Ian Wright Honours & Achievements
Crystal Palace
- Football League Second Division play-offs: 1988089
- Full Member's Cup: 1990-91
- FA Cup runner-up: 1989-90
Arsenal
- Premier League: 1997-98
- FA Cup; 1002-93, 1997-98
- Football League Cup; 1992-93
- European Cup Winners' Cup: 1993-94
West Ham United
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1999
Individual
- First Divison Golden Boot: 1991-92
- Crystal Palace Player of the Year: 1988-89
- PFA Team of the Year: 1988-89 Second Division, 1992-93 Premier League, 1996-97 Premier League
- Premier League Player of the Month: November 1996
- English Football Hall of Fame: 2005
- Crystal Palace Centenary XI: 2005
- BBC Goal of the Season: 1989-90
- Crystal Palace Player of the Century
- Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE): 2000
- Premier League Hall of Fame: 2022
