Former Friend Speaks Out in Defence of Stacey Solomon
Amid a flurry of negative headlines and industry whispers, a voice from Stacey Solomon's past has emerged to challenge the narrative. Zara Zubeidi, who first met the television personality in 2014, has penned a heartfelt rebuttal to recent claims that paint Solomon as a 'tricky character' in the world of entertainment.
A Night of Absence and Accusations
The controversy intensified when Stacey Solomon was notably absent from the TV Choice Awards on Monday night. While her partner Joe Swash attended but avoided press interviews, their reality programme Stacey & Joe failed to secure an award despite attracting an audience of four million viewers. This absence coincided with a series of damaging allegations surfacing in the press.
In January, sources alleged that Solomon had parted ways with her entertainment agency YMU following 'a number of clashes', describing her as a difficult figure to work with. Further claims soon emerged, with insiders suggesting she becomes 'ruthless when it comes to business' and transforms when cameras stop rolling. Rumours of a feud with 'cleanfluencer' Mrs Hinch, real name Sophie, added fuel to the fire, with a source alleging Solomon 'used' her former friend for brand deals before abruptly ending the relationship.
A Different Portrait from Personal Experience
Zubeidi, who has known Solomon on and off for more than ten years, expresses profound bewilderment at these characterisations. 'The picture being painted of her is not the Stacey I knew and it's not a person I recognise,' she writes emphatically. From her perspective, the reality star remains 'down to earth, generous and has worked so hard to get to where she is today.'
She highlights Solomon's consistent priority: her family. This was demonstrated in December when Solomon paused filming for her successful reality show, a decision some industry insiders found puzzling. For Zubeidi, this move perfectly aligns with the woman she remembers, who has 'wanted to protect her loved ones for as long as I remember.'
From X Factor Dream to Domestic Bliss
The article traces Solomon's journey from a 19-year-old single mother auditioning for The X Factor in 2009, holding her baby Zachary and telling host Dermot O'Leary that her family meant 'everything'. Sixteen years later, that dream has materialised spectacularly. Now a mother of five, Solomon's career includes:
- A panel position on ITV's Loose Women
- Her own award-winning BBC show, Sort Your Life Out
- A BBC reality series documenting life with Joe Swash and their children
- Lucrative brand deals with Asda, Primark, Abbott Lynn jewellery, and REHAB haircare
This success has enabled her to purchase her dream home, the £1.2 million Essex property known as Pickle Cottage, securing a stable life for her family.
Memories of a Nervous Star and a Generous Friend
Zubeidi recounts first meeting Solomon professionally in 2014 at a Thorpe Park press event, shortly after her split from Aaron Barham, father of her son Leighton. While Solomon politely declined to answer questions, prioritising shielding her sons from media scrutiny, her agent later invited Zubeidi behind the scenes of a music video for Solomon's debut album.
'On set, she was nervous and self-critical – she clearly wasn't used to being the centre of attention,' Zubeidi recalls. Their relationship developed into a personal friendship, involving text exchanges, a dinner with Solomon's family after a book launch in 2015, and a memorable night at a central London karaoke bar.
A particularly telling anecdote from 2016 involves a dinner at a Shoreditch vegan restaurant. Solomon arrived with a bag full of Bobbi Brown makeup, gifted to her at an event, which she insisted on giving to Zubeidi. 'This act of generosity is the Stacey I know,' Zubeidi asserts, contrasting it sharply with the 'ruthless' persona described in recent reports.
Rooting for Happiness and Understanding the Pressure
Zubeidi expresses unwavering support for Solomon's relationship with Joe Swash, recalling how she had interviewed Solomon multiple times about her search for love after difficult splits from the fathers of her older children and being ghosted by Jackass star Steve-O in 2015. Seeing pictures of their wedding day filled Zubeidi with the joy of 'watching an old friend from your past finally get the happily ever after they'd always wanted.'
The article suggests Solomon has never actively sought the limelight, preferring family time at home to red carpet events. Her absence from the TV Choice Awards was simply because she preferred to 'hold the fort' while Swash attended with her son Zachary.
Zubeidi draws a poignant parallel to Solomon's 2015 fictional book, Walk on By, whose protagonist Charlotte becomes an 'overnight sensation' but struggles with the reality of celebrity life, 'desperately trying to swim to the surface.' Solomon has been openly vocal about her battles with anxiety and the 'gut-wrenching' mum guilt associated with a demanding career.
A New Chapter and a Vote of Confidence
As Solomon rang in 2026, she spoke of looking forward to 'a fresh year, ready for some changes.' Zubeidi concludes with a firm endorsement of her former friend's character and resilience. 'No one deserves it more than my former friend, and with her personality and resilience, I'm confident she'll bounce back,' she writes, offering a personal counter-narrative to the wave of critical stories and standing by the woman she once called a friend.
