Stacey is accused of being ‘a tricky character’ – but the picture being painted of her is not the Stacey I knew, writes Zara Zubeidi
Stacey Solomon swears by ‘life-saving’ handheld steamer to get sinks clean (Image: Getty)
It was one of the biggest nights in the celebrity calendar, but Stacey Solomon was nowhere to be seen at the TV Choice Awards on Monday night. While her partner Joe Swash skipped the press interviews, their fly-on-the wall reality show Stacey & Joe failed to win an award – despite its popularly of 4 million viewers. And the negative headlines keep coming.
I’ve known Stacey on and off for over a decade and I’ve felt repeatedly baffled by the onslaught of cruel stories against the girl I knew and called a friend. The picture being painted of her is not the Stacey I knew and it’s not a person I recognise.
Zara first met Stacey in 2014
On set of Stacey’s music video
In January, sources claimed Stacey was “a tricky character” and that she’d parted ways with entertainment agency YMU after “a number of clashes.” Just a few days later, more damaging allegations surfaced, with insiders alleging Stacey was “ruthless when it comes to business”, adding, “As soon as those cameras turn off, she’s a different person, and one who knows exactly what she wants.” And it’s also been rumoured Stacey is embroiled in a feud with ‘cleanfluencer’ Mrs Hinch – real name Sophie – with a source claiming she “used” her former friend and bridesmaid for brand deals then “dropped” her overnight.
But I believe these claims couldn’t be further from the truth. The Stacey I know is down to earth, generous and has worked so hard to get to where she is today – and her family will always come first. In December, it was confirmed she’d put filming for her reality show on hold – despite pulling in impressive ratings. While industry insiders might find the decision odd, Stacey has wanted to protect her loved ones for as long as I remember.
When Stacey Solomon auditioned for the X Factor back in 2009, she said her dream was to be able to support her family in ways she could never imagine. Holding her baby Zachary, Stacey – aged just 19 at the time and a single mum – told host Dermot O’Leary they meant “everything” to her.
Stacey auditioning for the The X Factor back in 2009(Image: Ken McKay)
Stacey with her sons Zachary and Leighton(Image: PinPep/Tom Nicholson)
Fast-forward 16 years, and her dream has very much become a reality – now a mum of five, Stacey has graced the panel of Loose Women, landed her own award-winning TV show, Sort Your Life Out, and a reality show on the BBC documenting family life with Joe Swash and their kids.
Some of her brand deals include clothing and home wear ranges at Asda and Primark, jewellery line Abbott Lynn and a partnership deal with haircare brand REHAB. Her success has allowed her to build the life she’s always wanted, and notably, live in her dream home, Pickle Cottage – a £1.2million five-bedroom Essex property purchased in her name – with her family.
In 2014, I was tasked with approaching Stacey at a press event at Thorpe Park in Surrey – she had just split from Leighton’s dad, Aaron Barham. Understandably, Stacey, who was joined by Leighton and Zachary at the event, didn’t want to answer my questions. Shielding her sons from the media was priority. But she was polite, and a few days later, her agent at the time reached out to see if I’d be interested in going behind-the-scenes on the making of a music video for her debut album. This was still two years before Stacey landed a hosting gig on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! Extra Camp. On set, she was nervous and self-critical – she clearly wasn’t used to being the centre of attention.
Stacey and Joe tied the knot in 2022
Over the next few years, I got to know Stacey on a more personal level – we’d regularly exchange text messages and in 2015, I attended the launch of her new fictional book, Walk on By. After the event I was invited along to dinner with her family, and we ended up in a central London karaoke spot until the early hours.
In 2016, we went for a mid-week dinner at a vegan restaurant in Shoreditch. She turned up with a bag full of Bobbi Brown make up – she’d been gifted the products at an event and wanted me to have them. Soon after that dinner, Stacey jetted off to Australia to film for I’m A Celeb. Before she left, I told her she didn’t need to be nervous and to “never change” – it was why the public loved her so much.
I also left the UK for the best part of three years. During that time, we lost touch – but I remember finding out the moment she landed a regular gig on Loose Women in 2019 and feeling elated for her. After years of trying to move away from being solely known as ‘Stacey from X Factor’, this was her big break.
She fronts her own show Sort Your Life Out(Image: BBC)
When she and Joe went official, I was rooting for them – I’d interviewed Stacey several times about her love life. All she wanted was a fairytale ending after things didn’t work out with Zachary and Leighton’s dads. After splitting from Jackass star Steve-O – they dated in 2015 after meeting on The Jump, but he then ghosted her – Stacey was all but ready to give up on finding love. But she and Joe seemed like they were made for each other, and looking at pictures of their wedding day reminded me of the feeling you get watching an old friend from your past finally get the happily ever after they’d always wanted.
Stacey has never courted publicity – she’d rather stay at home with her children than attend a red carpet event. In fact, Stacey preferred to “hold the fort” than attend the TV Choice Awards on Monday night – with Joe going along with his stepson Zachary instead.
There’s little doubt that the central character in her 2015 book, Walk on By, is a reflection of herself. The plot’s central character, Charlotte, “sings with the voice of an angel” and becomes an “overnight sensation” – but soon realises that “people living the life of celebrity aren’t all she imagined them to be and neither is her life”. Charlotte “battles against the crazy life she’s thrust into, desperately trying to swim to the surface.”
Over the years, Stacey has been open about her battle with anxiety and the “gut-wrenching” mum guilt that comes with her busy work schedule. But over recent weeks she’s made it clear that this new chapter of her life – both on a professional and personal level – is about recognising what’s important. As she rung in 2026, she said she was looking forward to “a fresh year, ready for some changes”. No one deserves it more than my former friend, and with her personality and resilience, I’m confident she’ll bounce back.
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