Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash opened up the doors to Pickle Cottage in their new BBC reality series, This Is Us, which launched on Tuesday, 1st April.
The couple are letting fans take a look into their day to day life for the very first time in the six-part TV series. From their career ventures to parenting five children, Stacey and Joe are definitely busy and they both got candid in the first episode of their reality show.
As they showed what an average weekday morning looks like in their household, Joe, 43, who shares Rex, five, Rosie, three, and one-year-old Belle with Stacey, opened up about the difficulties of parenting.
The EastEnders actor, who is also father to son Harry, 17, with ex Emma Sophocleous, admitted there is one huge “battle” he faces each day when it comes to balancing work and home life.
“Honestly, the biggest battle in my life is timekeeping. Whether I’ve got to get the kids to school on time, pick them up on time, get dinner on time, get to bed on time, get to work on time, I am always one step behind time,” he said.
Throughout the episode, Joe and Stacey sat down for chats together in front of the cameras, where they got honest about their relationship, conflicts and family.
Revealing the reality of their home life, Joe said: “We’re like two swans floating down the river, we look all elegant and lovely on top but underneath we are kicking like mad!”
In a rare admission, Stacey, who is mum to Zachary, 17, and Leighton, 12, from previous relationships, then added: “We are barely afloat!”
Elsewhere, the famous duo revealed they approach arguments differently and also have “different ideas” when it comes to parenting and being strict with their children.
Stacey admitted she “doesn’t have time” to drag arguments out, while Joe revealed he’s more likely to dwell on issues that have come up, especially if he feels “hard done by”.
“We don’t resolve arguments,” Stacey said. “I don’t have enough time to carry on an argument. So, it’s like we’ve said our piece, done. I’ve got a million other things to do.”
In contrast, she revealed Joe likes to “wallow in self pity” for a “good few days” following a disagreement.