Inside Take That's Mark Owen's life - from alcoholism battle to affairs
Mark Owen has had a rollercoaster life, from his band's huge success over 32 years, to personal struggles with tax issues, multiple affairs and alcohol addiction. Take That were formed in 1989 and had their first Top 40 hit with Promises in 1991. The band, consisting of Mark, Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange and Robbie Williams, won the hearts of millions of teens and topped the charts with songs like Could It Be Magic and A Million Love Songs.
Despite his fame, 51 year old Mark has faced numerous challenges but has always had the unwavering support of his loving wife of 14 years, Emma Ferguson, and family – they share three children together, a son, Elwood Jack, and two daughters, Willow Rose and Fox India.
In 2010, Mark confessed to The Sun that he had been unfaithful to his wife with "at least" 10 different women. The then-38 year old singer attributed his infidelity to a long battle with alcoholism and shared deep regret for the pain he had caused his family and wife, who he had been with for over five years.
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He told the publication: "I don't know how many girls there were in all. Maybe 10." One of these affairs started when he began dating his current wife and involved a 24 year old account manager at the time.
In 2010, MailOnline reported that Mark and the woman's relationship began in 2004 when they met at a train station platform in Preston. The publication claimed that the pair went to LA together, before meeting at his Lake District home "where they smoked cannabis and drank vodka together before having sex".
It was also alleged that they spent time together weeks before his first daughter was born, and again one month before he got hitched. At the time, Mark said of his infidelity: "Life was hard, I guess. I let Emma down. I was selfish and stubborn."
In March 2010, Mark found himself in a tough spot after his wife kicked him out of their home due to his infidelity. He then checked into a clinic to get help for his drinking problem. A source told MailOnline that he "needed urgent help" and his wife was "so angry and devastated that she had thrown Mark out of their home and has taken off her wedding ring". During his time in rehab, he reportedly wasn't allowed to use his phone to contact his wife or kids.
In June 2012, it was revealed that Take That band members Howard, Gary and Mark had invested around £26million in music industry investment schemes. In 2016 it was reported that the trio paid back more than £20million owed to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Former Take That members Jason and Robbie were not involved in the scheme.
Months after the hearing, Gary Barlow tweeted: "I want to apologise to anyone who was offended by the tax stories earlier this year."
Fast forward to 2021, Mark decided to swap the English countryside for sunny California. He and his wife decided to move to America with their kids.
A source told The Sun that Mark's move wouldn't affect Take That as he's "only a 10-hour plane ride away and will return to the UK whenever the band needs him." The family had reportedly sold their Hampshire home for a whopping £6.5million three times what he originally paid for it when they moved from South West London to the English countryside.
