Mark Wilson became a household name in 2004 after joining the hit reality show Dancing With The Stars. The professional dancer and dance teacher’s career took after joining the program, but his newfound fame also led to “soul-destroying” attacks and threats at the hands of a mystery stalker that has never been caught.
In 2005, Wilson received a call that would “change his life forever”, news.com.au reports.
During that phone call, police informed the television personality that his Melbourne dance studio had gone up in flames.
Later, Wilson would learn that the fire was started intentionally.
Determined to put the attack behind him, Mr Wilson opened a new studio in late 2008.
Just 12 weeks later, it too burned to the ground, with the culprit using the exact same method as the first attack.
And just a week later, Mr Wilson’s wife Annemarie received a horrifying phone call from the stalker, who threatened to torch the family home if they reopened a third
The 55-year-old has now spoken out about the terrifying ordeal in a new book about stalking and the effects it can have on a victims life.
In Stalked: The Human Target, Wilson told author Rachel Cassidy of the “soul-destroying” impact the stalking had on himself, his wife and their three young children.
“If someone is so determined to ruin you, to crush you, and is prepared to go to those kinds of lengths to wipe you out, financially and emotionally, there is no way you can defend yourself,” Wilson says in the book.
Wilson eventually became so terrified he moved on from Melbourne and forged an entirely new career.
He went into advertising and then business coaching, and while he and wife Annemarie don’t yet own their own home, it’s a goal they hope to reach soon.
He told news.com.au he agreed to be featured in the book to give hope to others affected by stalking.
“The major reason for me becoming involved was to really let people know there’s a pathway after this…it’s important not to let this define your life,” he said.
“To be able to move ahead, it’s important to recognise that this happens, and that a stalker does this — but it’s not your fault.
“When these events happen, the power of the stalker is fear, so it’s about having a strategy around how you cope.
“Sometimes it means having to make brave decisions and to shift like we did, in order to be empowered for the next stage of life.”
He said he refused to become a “victim”.
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