Television presenter Stacey Solomon has taken a poignant trip down memory lane, sharing a series of emotional throwback photos from 2016 that capture the early, loved-up days of her romance with now-husband Joe Swash.
A Decade-Old Love Story Resurfaces
The Loose Women and Sort Your Life Out host, 36, participated in the viral '2016 challenge' trend on social media, posting a carousel of images that she says now feel like "a previous life". The collection prominently features the blossoming of her relationship with Swash, which began in earnest that year, six years after they first met on I'm A Celebrity....
Her first photo shows the couple sunbathing on a holiday, which she poignantly captioned "the year I fell in love". This getaway was significant as it was the first holiday they took with her two eldest sons from previous relationships, Zachary and Leighton, who were then much younger.
From Dating Rumours to a Blended Family of Eight
The album effectively confirmed the dating rumours that were swirling at the time. One playful snap sees the couple recreating the famous spaghetti kiss scene from Lady and the Tramp. Another shows a baffling Halloween costume worn by Swash, with Solomon joking: "no idea what Joe was going for. Been taking this season seriously since day 1."
Reflecting on the decade that has passed, Solomon wrote alongside the images: "No because truly the 2016 trend makes me feel like I have had a previous life, why does 10 years feel like a lifetime ago." She accompanied her caption with a crying face emoji, indicating the depth of her emotions.
The couple, who made their first public appearance together in March 2016, have since built a large family. They married in 2022 at their dream home, Pickle Cottage, and are parents to three children together: Rex, 6, Belle, 4, and two-year-old Rose. Together with Swash's son Harry and Solomon's sons Zachary, now nearly 18, and Leighton, 13, they form a blended family of eight.
Personal Milestones and Proud Mum Moments
The collection wasn't solely focused on her romance. Solomon also included touching personal milestones. A black-and-white photo of her eldest son, Zachary, was captioned: "My Zachary who turns 18 in 2 months. WTAF". Another showed her cuddling a younger Leighton when he was his sister Rose's current age.
Professional highlights from that year were also featured, including the first time she tried surfing and her pantomime debut as the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella. This came shortly after she co-presented I'm a Celebrity: Extra Camp with Swash in Australia.
Concluding her nostalgic post, Solomon expressed hope that the photos would bring joy to others, writing: "hope these make you smile as much as they did me while I was looking through them!"
