Stacey Solomon says media invasion of her privacy ‘should be illegal’

Stacey Solomon has said the extent to which the media invade the privacy of her and her family “should be illegal”, adding their “outrageous” behaviour “makes you feel like you’re being stalked”.

The 37-year-old found fame on ITV talent show The X Factor in 2009 and has since forged a successful TV career, and currently stars alongside her husband Joe Swash and their family in a fly-on-the-wall reality series.

Stacey And Joe launched in 2025 and documents the lives of the couple and their children, as well as their ducks and two dogs, during day-to-day life at their Pickle Cottage home in Essex.

Solomon has recently spoken out on social media about being subject to a “pile-on” by the press, citing increasing intrusion into her privacy and a heightened interest in her personal life.

Stacey Solomon said ‘the safety of of my family comes before absolutely everything’ (BBC/Optomen Television)

In an interview with the Press Association, the TV star said: “I think for a long time in celebrity culture, there was this expectation that you put yourself in the public eye so you deserve this treatment.

“There is an unwritten understanding. If me and Joe go out in the public and there happens to be somebody there and they get a picture of us, that’s fair game.

“That’s part and parcel of this industry. We do draw the line though.”

Solomon went on to say she sometimes feels “harassed” and like she is being “stalked” by the media, claiming she has had photographers “sitting outside our house” and intruding on family events.

“To me that’s no longer of public interest,” she said.

“It is weird. It’s outrageous, in fact.

xxx (BBC/Optomen Television/Jude Edginton)

“There’s no need to be followed around to family events. It should be illegal – these are kids. It’s just weird.

“You pick your battles in those instances because you realise you’ve signed up to this – but to an extent.

“You feel like you’re being stalked.”

The former Loose Women panellist added: “I don’t understand what the public interest has been lately and why they have the need to do that.

“We’re still navigating it, and trying to work out what we can do.”

Solomon, who is also a social media influencer, said the increased violations of her privacy has impacted what she posts online.

“Maybe it will make us think of things differently moving forward,” she said.

(BBC/Optomen Television/Elizabeth Hoff)

“Hopefully, I’ll be able to stick up for myself enough for them to stop being inappropriate.

“But if I need to do something to stop this happening, then I’ll do it. The safety of my family comes before absolutely everything.”

Solomon met Swash in 2010 when she was competing on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and he was co-hosting the spin-off, and have been together since 2016.

The couple tied the knot in 2022 and have three children together – Rex, who was born in 2019; Rose, born in 2021; and Belle, born in 2023.

She is also mother to Zach with ex-boyfriend Dean Cox, and Leighton with ex-fiance Aaron Barnham, while Swash has a son, Harry, with Emma Sophocleous.

The new series of Stacey And Joe will return to BBC One on November 10 at 8pm, and all episodes will be available on BBC iPlayer.