With commitments and opportunities coming out of her ears, it’s unsurprising that something had to give for Stacey Solomon. And as she starts prioritising work that can be done from the comfort of her Essex home Pickle Cottage, our source says the 35 year old is content being a hermit as it makes her ‘less susceptible to negativity’.
An insider close to the social media star says, ‘Stacey has suffered with anxiety since she was a child, and part of what makes her feel safe and grounded is having such a loving home base for her and the family. Stacey admits she loves living in her bubble. Whenever she goes outside of it, she finds she’s confronted with negative opinions – whether it’s a backlash for going on an expensive holiday or daring to share her opinion on Loose Women. It just makes her retreat even further into herself.’
Since becoming a household name on The X Factor in 2009, Stacey – who is mum to Zach, 16, and Leighton, 12, from previous relationships, as well as Rex, five, Rose, three, and 20-month-old Belle with husband Joe Swash – has carved a stellar career of lucrative brand deals and TV gigs.
Lately, however, the NTA winner has taken a step back from a handful of jobs, including her In The Style ambassadorship. ‘I've decided to say goodbye to In The Style and other things, so that I can give more of myself back to my family,’ she said in September. As well as reports that Stacey won’t return for a second series of DIY show Renovation Rescue, heat previously reported how the mum of five was unsure how much she’d be involved with Loose Women moving forward, as she has ‘so much going on right now’.
But as Stacey keeps her businesses close to home – most recently promoting hair brand Rehab and collaborating with George Home directly from Pickle Cottage – we’re told that restricting her workload in this way is a catch-22.
‘Stacey’s pals are really worried about her because she has such a zest for life, and they hate the idea of her having to police herself,’ our source says. ‘She does admit that she’s probably squirrelling herself away more than she should, but she reads so many negative comments that sometimes she feels it’s her against the world. Like everything, it’s about finding that balance – and she’s assured friends that it’s something she is going to take seriously and address.’