Stacey Solomon has shared a collection of cherished family memories as she and her husband Joe Swash bid farewell to their home, Pickle Cottage. The couple announced on Wednesday that they have sold the £1.3 million property and are relocating to a new residence described as needing "a lot of love."
Solomon posted a video montage on Instagram Thursday, calling it "a little montage of some of the best years of our lives" from their five years at the Essex home. "We will forever be grateful for the last 5 years at Pickle," she wrote. "What a special place & how lucky we’ve been to have lived there. Memories that will last forever… Wishing all of the love & happiness to the new family who get to love pickle cottage. And here’s to the next chapter…"
The couple, who moved into Pickle Cottage in 2021, are seeking a larger home to accommodate their growing blended family. They are parents to Rex, seven, Rose, four, and Belle, three. Solomon also has sons Zachary, 18, and Leighton, 14, from previous relationships, while Swash has a son, Harry, 19.
Solomon stated that while Pickle Cottage was their "dream home," her desire for more land for vegetable gardening and animal rescue prompted the move. "We have always wanted to rescue more animals, grow more vegetables so we have always been thinking if there was ever a chance to get a bit more land then we would consider it," she explained. "We saw somewhere and I was like, we could have a massive vegetable patch and we could offer our land to animals who need it and stuff like that. We could bring the horses back there, the ponies, and we went to see it and we fell in love."
She described the decision to leave as difficult, noting that they had built their lives at Pickle Cottage, where she gave birth to their two daughters and where they held their wedding ceremony in 2022. "It wasn't an easy decision, we built our lives together at Pickle Cottage but now we have find somewhere where we can see our family growing and really flourishing and this is the place," Solomon said.
The new property is reportedly a significant renovation project, with Solomon expressing excitement about revitalizing it. "It's a project, we're moving somewhere really really different and it does need a lot of love and I'm excited to do that all again," she added.
Pickle Cottage served as the setting for Solomon and Swash's reality television series. The couple first met in 2010 when they both participated in "I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!"