SOLO MISSION? From Single Mum to £10m Powerhouse — and the Decision That Could Change Everything She was just 19. A single mum. Studying by day, serving fish and chips by night — before taking a brave leap on The X Factor with nothing but hope for her child. Seventeen years later, Stacey Solomon is worth £10million and adored by millions. But now, those closest to her say the 36-year-old has made a controversial, high-risk decision — one wrong step that could shake her empire… and quietly test her marriage behind closed doors.
SOLO MISSION? Inside Stacey Solomon’s £10m Empire, the Shock Career Move That’s Raised Eyebrows — and Why Insiders Fear It Could Test Her Marriage
She was just 19, a single mum juggling college and shifts in a fish-and-chip shop, when she nervously stepped onto the The X Factor stage dreaming of a better life for her son.
Seventeen years on, Stacey Solomon, 36, is worth an estimated £10million, married to TV favourite Joe Swash, and raising five children. But just as it appeared she had reached the very top, insiders say Stacey has made a dramatic career decision that could either cement her legacy — or put everything she’s built at risk.
Accounts reveal Stacey’s business empire has surged from £7.4million to £10million in just a year. Yet despite those staggering figures, she has kicked off 2026 by walking away from her talent agency, blindsiding people close to her and sparking intense industry chatter.
The move means Stacey has effectively pulled the plug on all her commercial partnerships for the year. She will no longer work with YMU, the powerhouse agency that represents some of the biggest names on British television. Sources say her team was even instructed to step away from her long-running George at ASDA deal.
One insider explained: “This is a huge shift. Stacey doesn’t want to keep making other people rich. She’s focusing on building her own empire now, and there are new ventures coming. She sees this as a total business reinvention.”
Despite her wealth, money remains a deep-rooted anxiety. “She’s terrified that one wrong move could see it all disappear,” the source added. “That fear has pushed her to take full control.”
But others close to her warn the decision could backfire. Brand deals were a major income stream, and while Stacey still has television work, stepping away from endorsements is seen by some as a risky gamble. “She’s the main breadwinner,” an insider said. “And she earns significantly more than Joe. That imbalance has caused tension before.”
Joe’s past financial troubles — including two bankruptcies linked to unpaid tax bills — mean Stacey is said to be highly protective. Friends claim she insists on strict financial boundaries, ensuring contributions are split evenly so she feels secure.
The strain has occasionally spilled into public view. During their BBC fly-on-the-wall series, Stacey admitted she struggles to feel comfortable with money, even while living in their £1.2million Pickle Cottage. On one episode, she confessed: “I always feel like tomorrow you could have nothing, so be careful today.”
A major source of confidence for Stacey is her investment in haircare brand REHAB, where she now owns a third of the company. Once a small venture, it has since been named the fastest-growing beauty brand on the FEBE 100 list for 2025, requiring annual revenues of more than £3million.
“She’s found her confidence as a businesswoman,” an insider said. “REHAB is all women, small, passionate — and it’s making serious money.”
Through her firm Keymap Entertainment, Stacey has £7.5million tied up in investments and £1.6million in cash. She has also quietly laid the groundwork for a future beauty business, Belle & Rose Ltd, named after her daughters — a venture many expect to launch as her existing deals wind down.
From winning I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! in 2010 to becoming a national treasure with six million Instagram followers, Stacey’s rise has been extraordinary. Her viral “Tap To Tidy” mantra turned into books, hit BBC shows, and a devoted fanbase.
Yet insiders say the next chapter could be her most precarious yet — a bold solo mission driven by fear, ambition, and a determination to protect everything she’s worked for. Whether it strengthens her empire or places fresh strain on her marriage remains the unanswered question.
