TV and radio star Mark Wright is urging residents and families to follow the Covid rules after fearing losing his dad to the virus.

The former Towie star, 33, has begged listeners to his Heart radio show to follow the rules to get life back to normal - after his father, Mark Wright, Senior, fought the virus.

The star has opened up about how the virus has struck his family - with his dad having just left the hospital after testing positive on New Year's Day and his two uncles seriously ill.

Speaking on his Heart Radio evening show, the footballer said: "I want my life back. I want my family to be well again. I don’t want my family to have to worry anymore. I don’t want you to worry anymore.

"If you want to get your life back, the only way this will happen is if we obey by the government rules.

"Now last time when this happened, last year’s lockdown, I saw such a difference. Everybody was sticking to the rules so much better than it feels this time and it’s coming back to bite us, harder, faster and tougher.

"Do you want to see your family members go through what I’m seeing right now?

"I understand if it hasn’t affected your family like it has affected mine, bloodlines are different, I don’t know the science of it, but what I do know is that my father, my dad was suffering in hospital and we worried for his life for two weeks, he’s now home, he’s not completely better, he knows that and we know it.

"My other uncle, his brother, is in hospital right now, receiving oxygen, and their other brother, my uncle Eddie who I love dearly is currently in a coma in the ICU.

"Now I’m trying not to be too dark but I’m trying to give you a personal from me, because I am seeing first hand, and I know if you haven’t seen it and you haven’t felt it the way I have, I understand it’s hard to believe it.