Horrifying new twist behind Towie star Jordan Wright’s death. He was last seen sprinting in terror before being found a ditch. Now FRED KELLY’S forensic investigation into his final hours tells who he was running from…

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I was absolutely shocked when I saw the CCTV footage. It really looked like Jordan Wright was running for his life! The video, taken on the night of March 12th in Phuket, Thailand, shows him sprinting down a deserted road. He kept looking over his shoulder, like he was terrified of someone or something, before turning a corner and vanishing into the night. It was genuinely unsettling to watch.

Shortly after, another camera, located about 300 meters away, recorded audio of the 33-year-old speaking on a cell phone. He seems to say, “Before they return, let’s lure them inside and start shooting.”

Two days later, he was found dead in the same spot, lying face down in a drainage ditch.

I recently visited the island where Wright spent his last days, hoping to understand the circumstances surrounding his sudden death.

Given Wright’s troubled mental state before he died, many people speculated that he might have been caught up in the island’s widespread use of drugs and alcohol.

Phuket is famous for its vibrant nightlife and attracts a huge number of visitors each year, many of whom come for the legendary Full Moon Parties and a generally wild time. As one person who lives there told a friend of the author, ‘Phuket can be overwhelming. The heat and constant partying can really take a toll on you.’

Today, the Daily Mail presents a second, more concerning possibility: Wright’s housemate shared that he struggled with paranoia and psychosis while on the island, a mental health crisis that reportedly began during his 2018 appearance on ITV’s The Only Way Is Essex.

Let’s begin with what we know about the night Jordan Wright vanished. At 11:25 PM on Thursday, March 12th, he drove away from the COCO Bang Tao Beach Hotel, where he was staying on the northwest side of the island. He drove across a small parking lot and down a slight hill into a desolate area about the size of a soccer field. This area was filled with rocks, trash, and exposed metal bars sticking out of the ground. It’s an unpleasant place to walk through even during the day, making the thought of running through it at night quite unsettling.

Unlike what was previously thought, Wright actually turned left again, steering clear of a dead end on the right, and climbed down a steep, ten-foot drop into another field. This second field, like the first, was overgrown and contained a drainage ditch filled with still water, enclosed by tall concrete walls.

A security camera at the nearby Legendary Bang Tao hotel, which overlooks the ditch, recorded what sounded like Wright yelling angrily into his iPhone 17. Police later found the phone near the ditch. It’s unknown who he was speaking to, who he was telling to ‘get them back in the head,’ or what ‘shootout’ he was referring to while he was so upset.

These important details make us wonder if Wright associated with the wrong crowd.

Thai police state they’ve found no evidence that Wright was being followed before he died, and his body doesn’t show any signs of a struggle. An autopsy is being conducted at Vachira Hospital on the island, but it’s unclear when – or if – the results will be released.

Because of the unexpected death, a second autopsy is probably going to happen as part of the official investigation in the UK. The Wright family hasn’t made a statement yet.

It’s a truly sad ending for such a young man who had a bright future. Wright first became well-known in 2016 when he began dating Vicky Pattison, a star from the reality show Geordie Shore. Pattison had previously been convicted of assault three years earlier after throwing a high-heeled shoe at someone in a nightclub. She later said the person had bothered her with ice cubes.

Jordan Wright’s relationship ended in 2017, after which he gained fame through reality TV. He first appeared on MTV’s Ex On The Beach, then became a regular cast member on ITV’s The Only Way is Essex the following year. Despite having no family connection to the long-running Wright family from the show, Jordan quickly became popular with viewers thanks to his appearance and fit physique. His flirty relationship with Courtney Green captivated audiences and even led to a dramatic fight on screen with Green’s former boyfriend, Myles Barnett.

Despite his rising popularity in 2018, the reality TV star from Basildon, Essex, was removed from the show Towie. It was discovered that he had been taking paid time off from his job as a London firefighter for 17 episodes to focus on his television career.

He went back to working with the fire service, but he still pursued DJing and personal training when he had free time. By last year, though, Wright had decided he needed a change and moved to Phuket on December 3rd to begin a new life.

Initially, the move seemed to be going well. On December 10th, Wright posted on Instagram from the island, posing with his new roommates – fellow British expats Joey Jeffrey and someone named Dino – near Phuket’s famous Big Buddha statue. He captioned the photo with ‘A very exciting year ahead’ and a smiling emoji.

Joey recently told the Daily Mail that Jordan Wright traveled to Phuket to focus on personal growth. While there, he dedicated a lot of time to fitness, including working out and taking martial arts classes. Joey described them doing things like training, hitting the gym, and riding motorcycles together. He also said Jordan was a friendly and engaging person with excellent conversation skills.

Wright worked as a fund manager, investing money for clients. His friend Joey described him as someone who was always professionally dressed for Zoom calls – usually in a suit and tie. Joey also noted Wright was intelligent, well-spoken, a true gentleman, and a successful businessman.

Okay, so I’ve been following Wright’s journey, and it’s amazing! He got into Thailand on this incredible visa – it’s called a Destination Thailand Visa, or DTV. Basically, it’s like those ‘digital nomad’ visas you hear about, letting you live there tax-free if you’re not working for a Thai company. It only cost him around £228! And get this – Phuket is packed with expats, over 100,000 of them! There are tons of Russians and Ukrainians there too, a lot of whom moved after the war started. It’s just… a whole community of people living the dream!

I thought everything was finally looking up for Jordan, he seemed so happy! But then… things took a really dark turn. He decided, out of the blue, to book a hotel up north, near Bang Tao Beach. That place is known for being wild – seriously, some of the biggest, loudest nightclubs on Phuket are right there. I had a bad feeling about it immediately, like he was walking right into trouble.

Okay, so Joey recently mentioned he was somewhere ‘to see a girl,’ which definitely got people talking! Honestly, though, we’re not sure who she is. I’ve been checking his social media, and there’s absolutely no hint of a new relationship. It’s a bit of a mystery right now, but I’m sure details will emerge if there’s something to share!

It’s so incredibly sad to share that Jordan passed away on March 12th, just one day before he was scheduled to leave the COCO Bang Tao Beach Hotel. It was a truly unexpected and tragic end to his time there.

Joey shared that he was the first to learn the news, and it was completely unexpected. He described a difficult time filled with many questions, confusing emotions, and a lot of speculation. There was also a lot of inaccurate information being spread around.

Joey stopped, then shared his opinion: ‘People believe he was escaping something, but the real problem was internal. He wasn’t avoiding others, but battling his own demons. He struggled with mental health, experiencing paranoia and periods of psychosis.’

Joey has reviewed additional, previously unreleased police files and now thinks Jordan’s mental state declined on the night he died. He believes this decline caused Jordan to accidentally fall into the flooded ditch, resulting in a tragic accident.

Joey said that after news of Wright’s death spread, he heard from several people in the UK who were concerned about Wright’s wellbeing, as they knew he’d traveled to Thailand and had been struggling with his mental health before.

Joey wasn’t sure what caused it, or what set things off. He explained that the person was struggling with their mental health, and that’s why they’d come seeking help in the first place – to get better.

I always knew he was a good guy, and it really bothered me when people started whispering about drugs. There was absolutely nothing like that going on – we lived a really clean, healthy life. He wasn’t in trouble with substances, not at all. It was a much deeper issue, something he was battling inside. Honestly, it made me realize how important it is for men to talk about what they’re going through, to open up before it’s too late. It’s just heartbreaking that he didn’t get the chance.

It’s not entirely known what caused Wright’s mental health struggles, but his work in television is likely a contributing factor.

Many assume being on reality TV is all fun and excitement, but Wright shared in 2023 that the reality was quite different. He admitted to facing significant personal struggles and feeling lost after the show ended, like he’d lost both his identity and direction in life.

Joey confessed he always disliked being labeled as ‘from Towie.’ He felt the show likely created a lot of pressure for anyone involved, but it was difficult to discuss with him directly. He was a very private person and didn’t share his feelings easily.

A representative for the show Towie expressed the program’s heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Jordan Wright, acknowledging this is a very difficult time.

Until the complete autopsy and toxicology results are available, speculation about how Jordan died will likely continue. But, based on Joey’s account, it’s clear Jordan wasn’t feeling well on the night of March 12th.

In his last Instagram post from England, shared on October 17 of last year, Wright praised the Freemasons – an organization his father belongs to – stating that their teachings offer young men a strong sense of community, good values, and genuine brotherhood, especially when many feel isolated.

If only someone close to him knew quite how disconnected or lost he had felt at the time.

Joey said Jordan’s body will be returned to Britain in the next few weeks, which could cost up to £40,000. He expressed his sympathy for Jordan’s parents, saying it must be a terrible time for them, and offered his support, letting Jordan’s father know he’s available if needed.

Jordan’s remains will be returned home, but his housemate, Joey, will stay in Phuket. He runs a business called Grafters, which offers retreats designed to help young men improve their mental and physical well-being – the company’s motto is ‘Health. Wealth. Brotherhood’.

The retreat starts tomorrow, and Joey Jeffrey will begin by acknowledging someone who is deeply missed. He’s made it clear that the next ten days will be held in their memory.

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2026-04-03 02:55