Stacey Solomon has vowed not to let ongoing divorce rumours break her marriage, despite admitting she sometimes wants husband Joe Swash to “stay away”. For months, the TV presenter and lifestyle guru has been dogged by claims that her relationship is in crisis, with sources claiming their different career paths are pulling them ever further apart.
Rumour Mill Intensifies
In March, the rumour mill went into overdrive after the Sort Your Life Out star was pictured without her wedding ring, while eagle-eyed fans spotted it was also missing in some of her Instagram Stories. On Mother’s Day, Stacey, 36, did little to silence the chatter when she posted a family snap – without Joe, 44, or her ring.
But last week the mum-of-five hit back, saying, “Who cares if the whole world is like, ‘Oh, they’re on the brink of divorce’? Being in the public eye creates certain pressures, but not on our relationship… If we know it’s not true, who cares?”
Ups and Downs of Marriage
Even so, she admitted her marriage does, like many, have its share of ups and downs. Opening up on the Sort Your Life Out Unpacked podcast, she said, “Sometimes I fancy the pants off him and can’t wait to come home to see him. Sometimes I’m like, ‘Get out of my stratosphere – stay away from me.’ I think we’re just like any other couple.”
However a source tells new that despite Stacey appearing to brush off the negative speculation, deep down it hits her hard. “Stacey is fed up with the divorce rumours,” says our source. “All couples have their ups and downs, but they’re having theirs in the spotlight.
“Stacey is very sensitive and she reads all the comments, whereas Joe is laid-back and easy-going, and says, ‘Don’t worry about it, don’t look at it.’
“It’s not been a good year for them and they’re having a tough patch. They’ve got a young family and there’s a lot of pressure, but they won’t let this break them.”
Not Legally Married
In April, rumours over their partnership only escalated after it was revealed the couple are not officially married – despite a star-studded ceremony at their Essex home, Pickle Cottage, in July 2022. Earlier this year, Stacey insisted she had not misled fans, posting on Instagram, “I said we were not getting legally married… we’ll get legally married at a later point.”
With Stacey now worth a reported £10million, our source says her multiple career commitments make it difficult to juggle her family life with work. “It’s a lot,” they say. “Stacey thought she could handle it, but you’ve got that pressure bubble because they’re in the public eye. Joe is trying to do his best looking after the kids and being at home, but she’s the breadwinner, so it’s tricky.”
Their Relationship History
Stacey and Joe first met in 2010, after she won I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! The pair started dating in 2016 and tied the knot six years later. They have three children together – Rex, seven, Rose, four, and three-year-old Belle. Stacey also has two older sons Zachary, 18, and Leighton, 14, from previous relationships, while Joe is dad to 18-year-old Harry.
In the past, Stacey has joked about her and Joe’s fiery relationship, saying she believes arguments are healthy. “I think the best thing to do in a relationship is fall out!” she said last year. “Have that argument, say it out loud. Me and Joe love a good row. We’ll be fuming with each other, then we can laugh and get over it. But if we hold it in, it becomes uncomfortable.”
Last week, the star admitted her and Joe’s marriage still isn’t plain sailing. “Being in a relationship is hard,” she told her Sort Your Life Out co-star, Dilly Carter. “We’ve got three kids, we’ve got busy lives.”
Talking about the moment they met, the star revealed she and Joe weren’t on the same page when it came to attraction. “I don’t even remember,” she said of being quizzed by Joe – then a co-host on spin-off show, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! NOW! “He remembers that day vividly. He remembers everything I said in the interview, what I looked like. I don’t remember any of it. I was like, ‘It’s a bit stalker-ish, Joe.’”
And despite the success of their reality show, Stacey & Joe, the star also confessed she thinks there is “nothing interesting” about them. “We are boring,” she claimed. “There’s nothing exciting about us. We just go home, clean up duck poo and argue with each other about beans on a sofa.”
Navigating the Rough Patch
As to how they’ll navigate this rough patch, our source says it’s all about making time for one another away from the kids. “Stacey’s got such a busy schedule, but they want to fit in some date nights soon,” we’re told. “They want to make this work.”
