- Have YOU got a story? Email tips@dailymail.co.uk
Stacey Solomon finally put her engagement ring back on on Thursday as she was seen after it emerged she and Joe Swash are not legally married.
The Sort Your Life Out presenter refrained from wearing her wedding ban, seemingly confirming that the pair aren’t legally married.
The star wrapped up in a brown padded jacket as she kept it casual in a pair of rust coloured joggers and white trainers.
Yet despite going makeup free for the outing, Stacey made sure her diamond engagement ring was back on her finger, after she was pictured last week without it.
It comes after it emerged on Wednesday that the couple, who held a wedding ceremony at their £1.2million home, Pickle Cottage, in 2022, never made the marriage legally binding.
At the time, Stacey, 36, said they were planning to register their marriage after the wedding as their home didn’t have a civil ceremony licence.
But three and a half years on, TV’s golden couple have still not made their union official.
In an Instagram post shared two years after they tied the knot in July 2024, Stacey posted a gushing anniversary tribute as she penned: ‘2 years down, forever to go.’
Sharing a video recreating the set up for her wedding at Pickle Cottage, the star described it as ‘one of the best days of our lives’.
She wrote: ‘We got married. In our garden, with our children & loved ones around us. Even belle was there in my tummy. Joe it’s actually ridiculous how much I love you & I want to relive that feeling from our wedding every single year.’
The bombshell that their wedding wasn’t legal comes just two weeks after the television personality was quizzed about her relationship with Joe, 44, having been seen without her wedding ring.
A source told The Sun: ‘They always intended to do the legal part, but with six kids and busy diaries just haven’t got round to it, life has got in the way.
‘Stacey and Joe obviously knew that their garden wedding wasn’t legal and were upfront about that.’
Earlier on Thursday pictures emerged of Stacey and Joe playing happy families during a day out last week as they headed to Port Lympne Safari Park in Kent to celebrate the birthday of Stacey’s niece.
They were joined by her influencer sister Jemma and her family, but the couple were seen looking tense as they strolled around the park with their children.
While Joe’s wedding band was visible, Stacey was once again not wearing her ring.
The news might come as a surprise to fans, who watched the couple on their BBC reality show, Stacey & Joe.
It followed their lives with their children; Rex, six, Rose, four, and Belle, three. Stacey is also mum to Zachary, 18, and Leighton, 13, from previous relationships, while Joe has another son, Harry, who he had with an ex-partner in 2007.
Stacey also has lucrative family fashion ranges with Asda and Primark.
An insider said: ‘It will certainly raise eyebrows with firms and even TV execs that they’ve invested in a perfect picture that’s all a sham.’
The couple first met back in 2010 on the set of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! but didn’t start dating until 2016, moving in together two years later.
Joe got down on one knee in 2020 on Christmas Eve during a romantic walk, and the pair moved into Pickle Cottage a year later.
After the wedding, Stacey spoke about the status of their union at the time. She said: ‘To get married anywhere legally, the place has to have a civil ceremony licence.
‘One of the requirements for this licence is that the premises must be made readily available for ceremonies.
‘As this is our private family home and we need it to remain that way we couldn’t go for that option.
‘So we are having a relaxed private blessing in front of our closest friends and family and a ceremony of our love to each other.
‘We will register our marriage legally after.’
The ceremony at their home featured a romantic performance from Towie star James Argent’s The Arg Band, while Mrs Hinch acted as bridesmaid.
Fellow Loose Woman Linda Robson and ex-Towie star Ricky Rayment were also part of the wedding party.
The couple turned down a traditional magazine deal covering the nuptials, and instead shared photos on social media with a request for donations to bereavement charity Grief Encounter. They later donated their wedding decorations to Barnardo’s.
A source close to the couple told the Daily Mail at the time: ‘Stacey and Joe had the best day of their lives.
‘It was exactly everything they had hoped for, the weather was glorious, and they had a joyous day with their children and family.
‘It was also important to Stacey for her day to uphold her strong Jewish values, as well as be a modern and fun day for everyone.
‘They had always wanted their wedding to be just for them, at their home, and keeping their celebrations intimate did not disappoint.’
Two weeks ago Stacey appeared on This Morning where she set the record straight about her ‘marriage’ with Joe after sparking speculation by removing her wedding ring.
Host Ben Shephard said: ‘There are these crazy rumours going on about the two of you at the moment… What’s going on there, Stace?’
Stacey replied: ‘What are they? Go on. There’s a new rumour each week!’
Ben explained: ‘You’ve not been wearing your ring. There might be some issues going on?’
‘Do you know what, I am terrible. I don’t read any of that stuff.
‘In fact, does anyone anymore?’ Stacey asked.
‘But yeah, we just… Have I not been wearing my ring? Probably took it off to go to the toilet, or something.’
Referring to Joe’s plans to have a fishing lake near Pickle Cottage, Ben went on to say: ‘There is a lot going on at the moment, because of his lake, the plan for the lake is coming to fruition.
‘He was talking to us the other day…’
Stacey joked: ‘Maybe I dropped my ring in the lake… with our marriage!’
