BBC Factual has this week announced details of a major new fly-on-the-wall reality series starring Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash.
Broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer, “Stacey & Joe” will see cameras follow the lives of the much-loved couple, their children, four ducks and two dogs, giving viewers a refreshingly honest look at their modern blended family. Through social media, millions of followers have seen glimpses of their life at home, but this is the first time they’ve thrown open their doors to invite viewers into the heart of Pickle Cottage.
To raise theirs ‘pickles’Zach, Leighton, Rex, Rose and Belle, who range in age from 16 to one, is no small feat, especially when combined with busy work schedules and ambitious passion projects like building a two-acre fishing lake.
Filmed over the summer and fall of 2024, the series follows the couple as they celebrate their second wedding anniversary and reveals how they met and fell in love. Cameras also follow 16-year-old Zach as he nervously awaits his GCSE results and we see Stacey win big at the National Television Awards.
Could a much-needed summer holiday in Turkey bring some harmony to the couple as they face their busiest year ever and with Joe spending more time at home in the last 18 months, Stacey is convinced she wants to spend more time with the kids.
The series ends with the family together as they prepare for a festive Pickle Cottage Christmas.
Stacey Solomon comments on the series via a BBC press release: “2024 was the year Joe and I pushed ourselves out of our comfort zones. We took on different projects and tried new things. It’s been so amazing and nerve-wracking at the same time… And we just want to keep doing it in 2025, starting with “Stacey & Joe”. Working with BBC and Optomen on “Sort Your Life” has been a dream come true, so this team just made sense. We’ve loved showing another side of our family’s fun and chaos. We can’t wait for you to join us at Pickle Cottage this year.”
With Swash adding: “We’ve been doing our best to keep this a secret… But we’re so excited to finally be able to tell you all about “Stacey & Joe”. Over the years we’ve been asked a lot to do a show like this, but getting the opportunity to work with the BBC and Optomen felt really exciting. There will be the normal craziness of a family with many children, lots of animals and two busy parents. Here we go!”
