Stacey Solomon’s husband Joe Swash ’embraces the hatred’ in 3-year marriage

Stacey Solomon, 35, and Joe Swash, 43, are one of the most open couples, regularly sharing insights into their marriage on social media, TV series and most recently, Jamie Laing and Sophie Haboo’s podcast, Newlyweds.

The Loose Women star and the EastEnders star met after she won I’m a Celebrity in 2010, but they didn’t go public with their relationship until six years later. They tied the knot in 2022 in the garden of their £1.3 million home, Pickle Cottage, where they live with their blended family, including Stacey’s sons Zazhary and Leighton, and their three youngest kids Rex, Rose and Belle.

© Getty

Opening up about their disagreements, Stacey said they try to avoid “building resentment”, with Joe agreeing, stating they “embrace the hatred” toward one another instead of bottling up their feelings.

When the conversation turned to what makes the perfect marriage, Stacey said: “Fight it out. Like, always have an argument. The worst thing we could do, the thing that splits us apart the most, is like building resentment and not saying what we’re thinking. 

© David Fisher/Shutterstock for BAFTA

“As soon as we have it out and say, ‘I hate this, this is pissing me off.’ That’s when everything lets go and you can reset and start from zero and just be back on the same page again.”

Joe replied: “Then also embrace the hatred sometimes. It’s natural to sort of go, ‘Right, I need five minutes to myself. It’s not because I don’t love you. It’s just I need five minutes to sit there and recharge.'”

Despite agreeing on their communication style, the couple were also quick to point out their differences. Stacey described her husband as “a real touchy-feely, affectionate person”, while she said she is the polar opposite: “I’m quite cold.”

In all aspects of their marriage, they have learnt to compromise, which Stacey said isn’t always easy, especially when living together.

“I think sometimes it’s really good and sometimes it’s really crap, isn’t it? That’s just life with a relationship.

“And that’s the funny thing. I think everyone’s looking for this perfect partner, when actually the perfect one is the one who you want to kill half the time, and are in love with half the time.

“But living with someone is weird. Like, I’m such a loner, and I love things my way. So when you have to compromise everything you love, because someone else does it differently, that’s hard, and you have to live that day in, day out.”

© Instagram

Acknowledging the fact that they aren’t the same people they were when they met in 2010, Joe said: “We grow, and everyone’s changing, you know? Like, I’m changing as a person. Stacey’s changing as a person. Our kids are changing all the time.”

Stacey jokingly replied: “Everyone always says, ‘Don’t change, never change,’ and you think, ‘I don’t think I have a choice in that.'”

Stacey’s parenting comments

© Instagram

Stacey and Joe also regularly point out the highs in their relationship, as well as the lows. They both always speak highly of their children, with Stacey sharing a heartfelt post on Mother’s Day paying tribute to her kids. 

Alongside photos of her baby bumps and her newborn children, she wrote: “Realised yesterday I’ve been a mother for half of my whole life. It’s my biggest achievement. My proudest accomplishment. You are my world Zach, Leighton, Rex, Rose & Belle.”