Just days after her new show hit screens, TV critics were quick to blast Stacey Solomon for being out of her depth.
And we can reveal that the negative criticism has left the star feeling as though she’s let everyone around her down.
Over the last few years, Stacey has been building up her presenting credentials, with successful series, including home transformation show Sort Your Life Out.
But her new Channel 4 programme, Renovation Rescue, doesn’t seem to be going down as well.
After TheGuardian called Stacey, 34, “out of her depth” and gave her latest TV offering – which was spearheaded by Reese Witherspoon’s production company, Hello Sunshine – two stars, a source says, “Stacey doesn’t usually let bad reviews affect her mood, but she’d been hoping this show would impress Reese and lead to more exciting opportunities.
“When she first got the call from Hello Sunshine, Stacey thought it was a major step forward in her career, especially as it’s headed by Hollywood star Reese. Her pals have said that it still is, but Stacey says she just can’t fight the feeling of disappointment over the show not being a smash hit.
“It’s her worst nightmare to feel like she’s let anyone down,” a friend of the star tells Closer.
The premise of Renovation Rescue sees Stacey – who has three children, Rex, four, Rose, two, and 14-month-old Belle with former EastEnders star husband Joe Swash, and two sons, Zach, 16, and Leighton, 11, from previous relationships – come to the aid of homeowners across the country who have been let down by builders and left with half-finished renovations.
The DIY queen – who lives in a plush cottage in Essex – helps them salvage their homes without breaking the bank, but one reviewer noted, “There’s an unintentionally laughable contrast between the subjects, who are facing bankruptcy due to unexpected building costs, and Solomon and Swash’s turmoil about the size of their at-home gym.”
While some viewers were inspired seeing Stacey learning new DIY skills, others called for “someone more appropriate” to front the programme.
Insiders, however, say that those close to Stacey are telling her to ignore the bad press – including the low three-star rating from The Times – and keep going.
A source says, “Stacey’s not giving up, but she’s confessed that she feels like she’s let so many people down as there were a lot of people involved in making this show happen. She has just been dealing with the initial shock of hearing such a negative reaction.
“Stacey knows it will blow over, but the reason she’s letting it affect her is because she’s a perfectionist who takes pride in what she does.”