Is Stacey set to be the next Holly?
● In-demand star compared to Holly Willoughby after BBC approach her for top shows ● She has previously been the victim of cruel trolls and faced a backlash for smoking while pregnant ● But mummy influencing, tidying tips and coupling-up with Joe Swash
As she began filming a sixpart BBC series on decluttering called Sort
Your Life Out last week, it was reported that ITV Loose Women favourite Stacey Solomon was also being “poached” by the rival channel for their other top shows, including the next series of Strictly Come Dancing.
Speaking about her new show, which is due to air at the end of the year, Stacey,
31, excitedly said it was “an absolute dream come true.”
THRIVING
The move by the BBC showcases Stacey’s popularity with both TV execs and fans. Her recent book, Tap To Tidy, became an instant best-seller, while her “mumfluencer” content on Instagram rakes in £10k per post, thanks to her 4.2million followers, and it’s estimated her TV gigs have also helped earn her a whopping £5million fortune.
Her personal life is also thriving, as last week she showed off her new £1.2million Essex home with fiancé and fellow TV presenter Joe Swash, who she is set to marry in July.
A source tells Closer that, despite having her “fair share of tough times” during her 10 years of fame, Stacey has grown in confidence as she’s seen her popularity soar – and loves the comparison to her pal Holly Willoughby.
The source says, “Stacey’s often struggled with her selfworth and confidence, but with her career going from strength-to-strength and the support of Joe, she’s at the point where she’s starting to accept and acknowledge her success and believe she can be as big as some of her idols, such as Holly.
“There’s talk about Stacey being lined up for daytime TV and fronting some of the biggest shows like Holly. Stacey really looks up to Holly, especially as she’s also a busy mum-ofthree who’s managed to juggle family life with her career, so she would love to emulate that success. While it’s taken a while for her to get here, she’s starting to believe she has what it takes to follow in her footsteps.”
Stacey’s career is already following a similar trajectory to Holly’s. Two years ago, Stacey landed a job as a series regular on hit ITV show Celebrity Juice, while Holly was team captain on the show for 12 years until leaving last year. In 2018, Holly stepped into Ant McPartlin’s shoes as he took time away from I’m A Celeb!, but Stacey was also tipped by bookies for the gig. Away from TV, both are hugely successful influencers and their partners have TV careers too – Holly is married to producer Dan Baldwin.
Fans are often highlighting similarities between the pair. “Stacey and Holly Willoughby are the nicest people on TV,” one wrote on Twitter recently and another said, “Holly and Stacey are the most inspirational celebrity women.”
SURPRISE STARDOM
But her stardom has taken Stacey – who rose to fame on The X Factor in 2011 – by surprise and she’s previously admitted to suffering from “imposter syndrome”.
She explained, “This goes back to The X Factor. I couldn’t believe where I was. And I just couldn’t believe what the hell I was doing and when it was over, I thought, ‘OK, this is enough for me,’ and every year after that, every venture, every opportunity I’ve ever been given, I almost have like a slight imposter syndrome.”
The Dagenham-born star gave birth to her first child,
Zach, 13 – with childhood sweetheart Dean Cox – when she was 17 and she recently admitted that at the time she felt “completely out of control” and “ashamed” of becoming a teenage mum.
She said, “I feel really guilty about the way I was as a parent when he was a baby, because I just wasn’t good… I found it all very, very difficult.”
Her success on The X Factor was a breakthrough moment for the then-single mum, and a year later Stacey won over the nation to be crowned winner of I’m A Celeb!.
But her initial stardom came at a price. During her pregnancy with second son Leighton, eight – with ex-fiancé Aaron Barnham – in 2012, she was pictured smoking four times in two hours, leading her to be stripped of the Mum Of The Year title given to her by Foxy Bingo. Stacey apologised profusely and broke down during an interview with Holly
HAVING HER OWN SHOW IS TESTAMENT TO HER REALNESS AND I CAN SEE HER DOING MORNING TV
and Phil on This Morning amid the backlash over the scandal.
Over the years, Stacey – who also has a one-year-old son called Rex with Joe – has taken herself off social media at least three times due to cruel trolling. In May 2020, she deleted Instagram after being repeatedly called “ugly”, while just two weeks ago, she took a few days’ break after someone said she had a “horse face”.
She admits she suffers from “debilitating” anxiety, but has turned her negatives into positives – managing her stress by crafting and cleaning, which led her to writing her bestselling book.
And instead of hiding behind Instagram filters, she’s been praised for embracing her “flaws” by showing her real body in unfiltered images and saying, “Cellulite is beautiful, back bumps add character and tummy ledges are great for resting a baby on.”
It’s this honesty that media expert Nick Ede believes will see Stacey go from strength to strength – and even become “the next Holly”.
HONESTY
Likening her to Holly – who started her presenting career in 2004, has amassed 7.1million followers and an estimated £10m fortune thanks to This Morning, Dancing On Ice, I’m A Celeb!, Celebrity Juice and collaborations with Marks & Spencer, Garnier and
Oral B, Nick says, “Stacey has authenticity and so does Holly, and we’ve grown up with them – we’ve seen their flaws and they’re honest about what they’re going through, which makes them attractive to brands and channels, as well as to the public.
“Stacey having her own show on the BBC really sets her aside from ‘just’ being a panellist, or the funny, goofy one. Having her own show is testament to her realness, and I can see her doing morning TV – she could be the next Holly.”