Mystery surrounds death of TOWIE star Jordan Wright in Thailand as inquest hears he was found dead in drainage ditch and toxicology results are still not available

Former The Only Way Is Essex star Jordan Wright was found dead in a drainage ditch in Thailand, an inquest heard today.

The 33-year-old man, who also appeared in Ex On The Beach, was discovered by a local in an alley in Phuket’s Thalang District on April 14.

Court co-ordinator Matthew Austin told the inquest that Wright was ‘spending time in Thailand’ before his death.

His body was returned to Essex and a post-mortem examination was carried out at Basildon Hospital but the results of toxicology tests are not yet available.

Essex’s senior coroner, Lincoln Brookes, opened the inquest and adjourned it until the substantive hearing on September 14.

He said: ‘My deepest condolences to his family, friends and loved ones on this tragic loss of life.’

Wright, who appeared in eight episodes of MTV’s Ex On The Beach in 2017 and 17 episodes of TOWIE the following year, showed erratic behavior in haunting images shortly before his death.

He could be seen looking over his shoulder as he walked back to his hotel on the island of Phuket shortly before midnight on March 12.

Police said the circumstances leading to Wright’s death were ‘unclear’ and it was possible ‘other people were involved’.

The police are investigating whether the person who returned to the hotel where he was staying in a hurry was running away from another person.

CCTV showed Wright holding on to a white Toyota pickup truck to steady himself as he rounded a corner.

He then continued to run erratically around the grounds of the four-star Hotel COCO Phuket Bangtao Beach, where rooms cost around £23 a night.

Wright, who arrived in Thailand on a digital nomad visa in December, was seen walking erratically before escaping the hotel grounds again and running into surrounding fields.

He was found dead in a drainage ditch at a construction site by a Burmese worker two days later. It was said that he was lying face down in still water.

There are no CCTV cameras in the barren land where his body was found.

Lieutenant Colonel Sutthirak Chuthong of Choeng Thale district station said: ‘The circumstances leading to the death are highly unclear. ‘It is possible that other people were also involved.’

The inquest heard Wright had spent time in the country. She had posted numerous photos, including photos of herself sipping wine by the infinity pool.

Former TOWIE star posts photos of his beloved white Kawasaki motorcycle which he rides around the island

Wright, who appeared in eight episodes of MTV’s Ex On The Beach in 2017 and 17 episodes of TOWIE the following year, was seen acting erratically in haunting images recorded shortly before his death.

A source at the hotel said Wright was left alone and had no guests.

They added: ‘He used to go out at night like the other guests. There was nothing unusual as long as we couldn’t find him when he needed to check out.’

Police officers said a Myanmar worker harvesting vegetables found Wright’s body and alerted authorities.

While his new iPhone 17 was thought to be in a nearby bank, he had a hotel key card belonging to Hotel COCO Phuket Bangtao in his pocket.

Officers later found Wright’s beloved white Kawasaki motorcycle, which he had ridden around the island, parked at the hotel.

Hotel staff told police that he was checking out on March 13, but they were unable to reach him.

Hotel COCO Phuket Bangtao Beach is rated four stars according to Booking.com and offers ‘spacious rooms with private balconies and modern amenities’.

It describes itself as ‘perfect for romantic getaways’ and is located around a five to ten minute walk from the white sandy beach.

The reality TV star returned to work as a firefighter and complained that the experience left him ‘dissatisfied, stagnant and lost’ and without a sense of purpose.

There is a large outdoor swimming pool, various wellness facilities and a hot tub.

Lieutenant Colonel Thongchai Matitham added: ‘Hotel records showed he checked in alone and was due to check out on March 13, but staff reported he never checked out.

CCTV footage showed him appearing restless and pacing back and forth in front of the hotel before leaving the area.

‘His movements eventually led him to the location where his body was later discovered.

‘We are still waiting for autopsy results from Vachira Phuket Hospital to determine whether drugs were found in his system. The case is still under investigation.’

Sharp-jawed firefighter Wright, from Basildon, became a huge hit with fans after flirting with Courtney Green and engaging in an explosive on-screen fight with ex-boyfriend Myles Barnett.

However, it was later reported that he had been fired from the ITV soap amid allegations that he had taken paid sick leave from the London Fire Brigade to film the show.

He later quit reality TV altogether to return to his job as a firefighter.

Wright eventually turned to a career in financial investing. His LinkedIn profile lists him as a director of London-based firm Hampton Gate Wealth, a ’boutique promoter focusing on alternative fixed income strategies for qualified investors’.

In an Instagram post the star shared in 2023, which resurfaced after her death, she talked about how reality TV left her “failed, stagnant and lost” and purposeless.

In the post, he reflected on his time with the London Fire Brigade.

Alongside the trio of photos showing him starting his role as a firefighter, he wrote an emotional caption: ‘Today is an incredibly emotional day for me to say the least. I was 19 years old when I first joined the fire department…

‘I had [an] I had an enjoyable career for six years before resigning to pursue a life in the spotlight of reality TV. A choice that left me largely unfinished, stagnant, and lost.

‘People think it’s all show and show but the reality is so far from the public perception, I really struggled. When I left I lost so much of myself and my sense of purpose.

‘Those of you close to me understand how hard I struggle to find direction…

‘I am grateful to each of you who have walked the winding path of uncertainty where you may never realize how important your support is. You mean the absolute world to me. ‘Salvation is a path that we all walk at some stage in our lives.’

Wright rejoined the fire service as part of the ‘redemption arc’, but later left to pursue a career in financial investment.

On his LinkedIn profile, he was listed as a director of London-based firm Hampton Gate Wealth, a ’boutique promoter focusing on alternative fixed income strategies for qualified investors’.

He appears to have spent several weeks in Thailand before his death; There have been references to his ‘new life’ in the country on social media, with videos showing him riding a fast motorbike, spending time at the beach and indulging in martial arts training.

The last post, dated March 6, included a photo of her relaxing in an infinity pool with a glass of wine, as well as videos of boating, posing on a motorcycle, scuba diving, and eating local food while overlooking the natural scenery.

Tributes poured in from reality stars and friends after Wright’s death was announced by Thai authorities.

His former manager Alex Shafiq told the Daily Mail that Wright was a “fun kid” who “lit up any room with his smile”.

He said: ‘I’m a good judge of character and I knew Wright was a great person from the moment I met him.

‘He was a very handsome lad with a wonderful, wide smile. ‘He tried TV for a while but DJing was his real passion, that’s what he wanted to focus on.’

Close friend and DJ Stuart Hart said: ‘Wright was a really lovely lad, always happy and fun to be around, whether he was coming to my gigs or DJing at my parties, he was always supportive, always up for a good time. [He was] One of the good ones.”

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesman previously said officials were ‘supporting the family of a British man who died in Thailand and are in contact with local authorities’.