Take That star Mark Owen's life off stage from actress wife to major makeover

20 October 2023 , 08:45

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Excitement is high ahead of a new Take That album (Image: Getty Images)

Fans of Take That are currently reaching giddy levels of excitement, with the band's ninth album set for release next month. Those lucky enough to bag tickets will also get the chance to see the iconic '90s boyband live in concert, with a UK and Ireland tour announced for 2024.

As fans up and down the country count down the days until Take That's next exciting chapter, we take a look at the life of bandmate Mark Owen away from the recording studio, from his long-time marriage to a very successful actress, to the recent makeover that took people by surprise.

Marriage to actress wife

Mark is married to the actress Emma Ferguson, who is best known for her roles in the BBC miniseries adaptation of North & South (2004), cabin crew drama Mile High (2003), and the 2003 comedy series Fortysomething. The couple first locked eyes in 2004 and announced their engagement two years later. Their vows were exchanged in 2009 at Cawdor Church near Inverness, against the breathtaking backdrop of the Scottish Highlands, in a wedding ceremony attended by bandmates Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, and Jason Orange.

Mark and Emma share one son Elwood Jack, born 2006, and two daughters, Willow Rose, born 2008, and Fox India, born 2012, and appear to be very happy together, with Mark once describing Emma as "amazing" in a piece of art shared to Instagram.

Mark's moustache took people aback (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Mark now looks very different to his early days in Take That (Getty Images)

Surprise makeover

Following the launch of his fifth solo album, Land of Dreams, in 2022, Mark left fans a little taken aback by sporting an unexpected moustache, giving him a notably different appearance. During one interview held to promote the album, BBC Breakfast co-host Sally Nugent couldn't help but remark upon Mark's new facial hair, asking: "Actually, you look different. The moustache; how long's that been there?"

Take That's Howard has so many cars he's run out of room to store them all

Explaining that he'd been growing a moustache for around four years at that point, Mark replied: "It started off as a beard and then my beard goes a bit patchy on [one] side. [The beard] can get a bit sweaty on tour. So then it became a moustache and it sort of stuck." Adding that his makeover hasn't exactly gone down well with everyone, Mark continued: "My children keep threatening to clip it off."

Julia Banim