‘There’s a lockdown for a reason’: Mark Wright says coronavirus has ‘mentally’ changed his father

'He's not my dad that he was four weeks ago’, says radio presenter

Mark Wright has opened up about his family's battle with Covid, which he said has psychologically changed his father, and left one of his uncles in a critical condition.

The former reality star appeared on Good Morning Britain to discuss how his family has been affected by coronavirus.

The 33-year-old told Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid  that one of his uncles is in hospital with the virus and is on oxygen but "doing okay", another uncle is in a "critical condition", and his father has now left hospital but appears "mentally" changed.

Wright said he is "praying every night" for his uncle's recovery and that these have been "the hardest weeks of my life".

He urged viewers to follow the rules, explaining: "Until you see it firsthand, that might be the day you realise 'I need to buck up my ideas', and then it might be too late."

The presenter admitted that he has some friends who are conspiracy theorists and he begged viewers to take the pandemic seriously and to follow the rules.

"They think that it's all rubbish and you don't need to be locking down the country," he said.

"Until you get to a point like where I am now... you will regret doing what you're doing, so listen to the rules, stay at home and there's a lockdown for a reason."

Speaking about the effects he's noticed in his father as a result of coronavirus, Wright said: "He's out of hospital and I hope he doesn't mind me saying this but, mentally, something's not right there at the moment.

"He's okay but he's not my dad that he was four weeks ago. He's better and I'm hoping there's improvement more to come but it can leave long-lasting problems."

Among the symptoms of 'long Covid' (where symptoms can last for weeks, if not months), the NHS lists problems with memory and concentration (brain fog), depression and anxiety, and insomnia.