Stacey Solomon's reality show regrets as she starts marriage therapy
Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash knew that inviting cameras into their home for their BBC series wouldn't be easy - but now a source tells us they're turning to therapy to repair the cracks it has revealed in their marriage.
When Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash signed up to let cameras into their lives for BBC fly-on-the-wall series, Stacey & Joe: Full House, they might not have envisaged that one of the biggest projects they'd tackle - in front of millions of viewers, would be the cracks in their own relationship.
As the series continues, the pair, who tied the knot in 2022, reveal they've turned to marriage therapy to keep their relationship on track. And a source has told OK! that Stacey and Joe perhaps underplayed what a big step it would be, inviting cameras in for every tricky moment.
'They underestimated how difficult it was going to be doing this reality show and having cameras around, and watching it back hasn't been the easiest thing. The pressures of all the kids and work while balancing their relationship has been hard, they won't deny that', they said.
The source also claims they are proud of opening up about having couple's therapy on-air. 'They're going to therapy because they love each other and would never want to get to the point where they don't want to be together anymore.
'Yes, there have been ups and downs and it's been quite a rollercoaster - but they know there's no shame in therapy and both realise it's the best thing for their relationship and to iron out their issues.'
For DIY guru Stacey, 34, and former EastEnder Joe, 42, who have five children - Zachary, 16, and Leighton, 12, from Stacey's previous relationships, and Rex, four, Rose, two, and one-year-old Belle together (Joe also has a teenage son Harry, 16) - not counting the two dogs and four ducks, life at Pickle Cottage is undoubtedly full-on.
And they've admitted that couple's therapy has been vital for staying connected to each other. On the show, we see them sit down for a heart-to-heart with a counsellor, and open up honestly about the struggles they face.
Stacey points out that Joe tends to take everything she says 'so personally' as Joe responds: 'All I am doing is trying to dedicate myself to my family and do everything I possibly can, every minute of the day.' He adds, clearly feeling misunderstood, 'Then to sit here and listen to the fact that I am a huge problem – all I am hearing is that I am a huge problem in Stacey's perfect life,'.
After hearing Joe's perspective, Stacey responds candidly: 'I would say this is our biggest issue in our whole relationship. I cannot say anything without you taking it so personally as an attack on you as a whole person.'
In a recent interview [with The Times], Joe spoke honestly about their relationship, saying, 'We haven't got all the answers. Our kids throw tantrums just the same as everybody else's. We argue, but it's generally for the right reasons - because we're trying to sort out what's best for the kids and our family.'
He went on, 'We aren't trying to portray a glamorous lifestyle. Bringing up a family these days isn't easy and we all make mistakes. But you admit your mistake, learn from it and move on.'
Joe also opens up on-air about his experience living with undiagnosed ADHD until adulthood, which he says can affect everything from impulse shopping online - he's a self-confessed TikTok and Instagram gadget addict - to how he handles stress at home.
'[It's] part of the ADHD… swings and roundabouts… so I've had to order some more medication. I always knew there was something, I mean you probably can tell by my impulsive buys.'
And this doesn't always go down well with Stacey, who says: 'I literally spend my life sorting people's lives out then have to come home and sort my own life out… 'cause the whole of Amazon has turned up at the door…'
Our source goes on to claim that sometimes, Joe can feel like 'another child' to Stacey. 'He's often hyperactive and she has to calm him down and remind him to be authoritative in the house, too.
'It's no secret that he shops impulsively and she often feels she's having to monitor him. It can be tough for her because she's also got all the kids to deal with, and work too.'
The couple's new series has enthralled fans, as they opened the doors to Pickle Cottage to peel back their real life, warts'n'all. Promoting it, Stacey and Joe were clear that they didn't want to glamorise their relationship or pretend they had everything figured out - and they've stayed true to their word.
Stacey says they are 'just a normal family doing our best', and the show reveals exactly that - with everything from raw unfiltered reactions to school GCSE results to Stacey's occasional but clear annoyance at Joe.
'In the end, you relax and think, 'Oh well, so they saw us get the hump with each other, or they saw us do something wrong'. That's probably the best thing we could show the world, because everything isn't perfect,' says Stacey.
Loved by fans for her tell-it-like-it-is approach, Stacey has spoken previously about how important constant communication is within a marriage - and the Sort Your Life Out host has always been vocal about how real life isn't the polished Instagram grid people might expect. Whether it's messy kitchens, chaotic school runs or discussing mum guilt, she's built a huge following based on that authenticity.
Now, as life at Stacey and Joe's bustling family home continues, the couple are clearly keen to show that relationships - like homes - sometimes need a bit of sorting out, too. And what it also reveals, despite the well-documented rows and tears, is that this pair remain as devoted to each other as ever.
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