Joe Swash has said his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis has “helped me understand myself better”, although he finds himself “struggling more” as he gets older.
The 44-year-old rose to fame as an actor in the BBC soap EastEnders and has in recent years turned to presenting, fronting shows such as I’m a Celebrity… Extra Camp and Minute To Win It.
Diagnosis and Family Life
Swash currently stars alongside his wife Stacey Solomon and their family in a fly-on-the-wall reality series, which documents their day-to-day life at their Pickle Cottage home in Essex. During the first series of Stacey And Joe in 2025, the TV personality revealed his ADHD and dyslexia diagnosis and reflected on his school days and feeling misunderstood as a child.
Speaking to the Press Association, Swash said: “It’s helped me understand myself a little bit better. I’m a little less hard on myself, as I understand that there’s a reason why I do things in a certain order. It doesn’t make a difference to my life. The kids still love me, I still love my kids.”
Struggles and Coping
The NHS describes ADHD as a condition where the brain works differently, affecting a person’s ability to concentrate, sit still and control impulses. Swash added: “I think I’m struggling more as I’m getting older and I’m getting busier. But that’s why fishing helps. It just lets me reset myself a little bit.”
Swash is among a string of celebrities who have spoken about having the condition, including actor Simon Pegg and singer Billie Eilish, as well as Hollywood stars Channing Tatum and Jim Carrey.
Relationship and Upcoming Series
The TV star met his wife in 2010 when she was competing on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and he was co-hosting the spin-off, and they have been together since 2016. The couple tied the knot in 2022 and have three children together: Rex, born in 2019, Rose, born in 2021, and Belle, born in 2023.
There is also Zach (Solomon’s first son with ex-boyfriend Dean Cox), Leighton (Solomon’s son with ex-fiancé Aaron Barnham) and Harry, Swash’s son with ex-fiancée Emma Sophocleous. The new series of Stacey And Joe will return to BBC One on November 10 at 8pm, with all episodes available on BBC iPlayer.
