As two of the most loved names on television, Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash are known for being real and relatable. But while they’ve previously only worked on their own separate projects, the couple are set to be the stars of their own reality show. The husband-and-wife pair would appear alongside their children in the fly-on-the-wall programme focusing on life at Pickle Cottage, in the style of Keeping Up With The Kardashians and At Home With The Furys, reports claim.
Sources tell Closer that the show was Stacey’s idea as a way of raising the couple’s profile to even greater heights.
“Stacey was really hesitant about doing a reality show and despite many offers in the past, she’d always turned them down amid fears it would encroach too much on their lives and could put added stress on their family,” an insider says.
“But since bagging a deal with Reese Witherspoon’s production company and talks about cracking the US, she’s realised that she needs to take into account Joe’s career too and she knows how much this show could propel his profile and put them on a more even keel.”
The source adds, “Stacey’s biggest fear is Joe feeling resentful towards her as her career goes from strength to strength while his wavers, and how it affects him.”
Since finding fame on The X Factor in 2009, Stacey, 34, has carved out a successful solo career as a TV personality and organisational influencer. The mum of five is a panellist on Loose Women and hosts DIY shows, Sort Your Life Out and Renovation Rescue. Hollywood star Reese’s production company, Hello Sunshine, has bought the rights to Renovation Rescue to broadcast it in America, which could potentially help Stacey crack the US.
“How does she even know me? I still to this day don’t know how they found me,” Stacey said about the signing. “They just said they wanted me. Maybe some of her researchers and her team had seen the show.”
Meanwhile, former EastEnders actor Joe, 42, has become a reality TV star, winning I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2008 and Dancing On Ice in 2020. Having presented the I’m A Celebrity! spin-off programmes, he has also appeared on Celebrity MasterChef and The Jump.
But while their solo endeavours have gone down well with audiences, viewers were overjoyed when the husband and wife team reunited earlier this month for Celebrity Gogglebox. Their banter on the sofa won praise from TV audiences. “Love this pair. So down to earth”, one fan said, with another adding, “Love you guys! You have the cutest relationship and are so funny. Keep making us laugh!”
The source tells Closer that this positive reaction towards them working together persuaded Stacey to say yes to the reality show.
“Stacey’s U-turn came after a lot of reflection and she’s admitted that her marriage was her main motivation for agreeing to the show, telling pals how she hopes it will not only fix the power balance issues lingering beneath the surface, but also help launch them as a power couple and lead to joint work together as well as offering Joe his own stepping stone to crack the US,” they reveal.
“While he’s of course incredibly proud of her, there’s understandably an element of jealousy and he’d love to be getting presenting gigs and doing more – not to mention getting his own shot at fame in the US.”
In their upcoming show, cameras will follow Stacey and Joe around their beloved Pickle Cottage. Their children – Stacey’s sons, Zachary, 16, Leighton, 13, plus her children with Joe, Rex, five, Rose, two, and one-year-old Belle – will also feature, along with their pets, including dogs Teddy and Peanut and their new additions, ducks Daisy and Delilah.
“Stacey and Joe are such homebodies and love nothing more than spending time with their children. The series is set to be a huge hit, given the chaos that comes with a big family,” a source says about the show.
“They will also not hold back when it comes to showing the highs and lows of family life. Fans can expect to see an unfiltered version of a busy household.”
And the couple hope that their new reality show could lead to them doing more TV together.
The insider says, “Stacey’s dream would be for them to become ‘the next Richard and Judy’ and bag more shows as a couple. She always says Joe is more talented than her and it’s him who drives her and gives her the confidence to present, so she’d love to have him by her side for future work opportunities.”
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Shereen Low is a News and Entertainment writer across Closer, heat, Grazia, Bella, Yours and Crime Monthly magazines.