Ian Wright’s remarkable journey from Non-League football to becoming Arsenal’s top scorer, and now a respected pundit, is a testament to his enduring passion for the game.
The Arsenal legend is set to make his ITV comeback for England’s Euro 2025 semi-final against Italy on Tuesday night. Despite earning 33 caps for the Three Lions, Wright’s path to international football was not straightforward; he was already 21 when he signed his first professional contract with Crystal Palace.
Wright made up for lost time with a prolific spell at Palace before reuniting with childhood mate David Rocastle at Arsenal. Here, he etched his name in the club’s history books as their all-time leading scorer during a seven-year tenure in north London – a record later surpassed by Thierry Henry.
Even while still plying his trade at Highbury, Wright had begun to dip his toes into media, making his debut on Match of the Day in 1997.
After decades gracing the BBC’s flagship football programme, Wright stepped down from his role last year. He had been overlooked by ITV for coverage of the Women’s Euros but is set to return to our screens as the Lionesses bid for a place in the final
Net worth
Given his extensive involvement in football, Celebritynetworth.com estimates Wright’s net worth to be around £15.27million ($20million). His punditry roles with ITV and BBC reportedly earned him approximately £150,000 per annum, reports the Mirror.
Wright has ventured beyond the pitch to host various TV programmes, including ITV’s Moneyball. In 2019, he reportedly pocketed a cool £400k for his stint in the jungle on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here.
He hosts the Wrighty’s House podcast, alongside appearances on the Stick to Football podcast and work for Premier League Productions.
Love life
When it comes to his personal life, Wright is a father to eight children, among whom are ex-Premier League footballers Shaun and Bradley Wright-Phillips. Wright was still in his teens when he adopted Sharon Phillips’ son Shaun, who went on to play for Chelsea and England.
He then welcomed Bradley Wright-Phillips into the world with Sharon, and Bradley carved out a successful career for himself in the MLS.
The pundit also had another son, Brett, before meeting his first wife Deborah. The couple tied the knot in 1993, but their marriage faced challenges after revelations of Wright’s infidelity came to light.
They had two more children, Stacey and Bobbi-Lee, before parting ways with a divorce in 2004. Additionally, Wright has a daughter named Coco, whom he supports financially but with whom he does not have contact.
Wright opened up about his past mistakes in his autobiography, expressing deep remorse: “I got caught up in all of that and cheated on first wife, Debbie, which destroyed my marriage. That was a really horrible period. If there’s ever been a time in my life I wish I could change, that would be it.”
A visit to a Notting Hill pub was the turning point for Wright, where he met his now-wife Nancy Hallam. The pair tied the knot in 2011 and are proud parents to their daughters Lola and Roxanne.
Despite his happy family life, Wright has openly expressed regret over his past actions: “I didn’t experience an enormous amount of love from my mum when I was a child, so I’ve had to learn what it is, and learn how to be happy and at peace.
“I’ve put other people through horrible experiences along the way. If people think that’s selfish, then I’m really sorry. Nancy’s the perfect woman and I can’t stand to be apart from her and our daughters. My love for them is unconditional and my upbringing means I have a lot of love to give now.”
Family tragedy
Wright has recently lost two significant figures in his life. The football community grieved alongside Wright for the loss of his dear friend and ex-Arsenal teammate Kevin Campbell in June 2024, and shortly after, Wright faced the heartache of his older brother’s passing.
“It’s been a tough summer,” Wright confessed on The Overlap. “My man Kevin Campbell and a couple of weeks later I lose my brother. It’s been one of those situations where you just have to get on with it. It catches you every now and then.”
Reflecting on his late brother, Wright shared: “I’m driving along and I’m thinking of my brother. He was a really good cricketer, a really good footballer. He didn’t come up to the house as often as [I’d] like but that’s because he’s just a loner. And then all of a sudden you’re constantly trying to get in touch with him, come and do this, come and do that, and then bam, he’s gone. You know what I mean?”.
“It’s tough, man. Now I feel pretty much in control of it, but I know that at some stage later on it just catches you. But you just have to deal with it.
“It helps being among people. Grieving is a process. You never know when it’s going to come and it’s not like it ever leaves you. It’s going to come at some stage. Even like now, I just don’t know what to say. I just miss them both.”
Aluko row
Former England international Eni Aluko accused Wright of obstructing opportunities for women in football earlier this year. Aluko had alleged that the Arsenal icon is “dominating” the coverage of women’s football.
Aluko made the comments on BBC Radio Four’s Woman’s Hour in April, suggesting that ITV’s continued engagement of Wright as a pundit for women’s football was detrimental to female pundits trying to break into the field. The 38-year-old has since expressed regret over her remarks concerning Wright.
Wright said on social media at the time: “I have to talk about this week and what’s going on, I don’t want to endlessly be asked about it. “I’ve got to say, I’m very disappointed about what Eni has said, she knows how I’ve helped her, supported her publicly, and I know the previous conversations she’s had with me and my management.
“I’ve seen the apology on social media, but I can’t accept it. But I also want to move on. For anyone watching this, I really don’t need any further social commentary directed on any of this.. The thing about where the women’s game is, it isn’t about me – it has to be about the collective.
“Because of the past, we know the men blocked the women’s game for 50 years, because of the past we know the game has serious systemic challenges, and it’s going to take everyone to help fixes. So for me, I always give back to the game, it’s given me so much.”
