Joe Swash and Stacey Solomon continue to move forward with plans to develop a fishing lake and glamping site at their Pickle Cottage property, with recent milestones documented through social media updates ahead of the return of their BBC reality series, Stacey & Joe.
The couple, who married in 2022 and share three children, previously confirmed that the upcoming third season of the series will follow their efforts to expand activities beyond their family home.
According to the Manchester Evening News, the new season will center on Swash’s long-standing ambition to establish a fishing destination alongside a glamping business, while also highlighting the family’s involvement in bringing the project to completion.
The broadcaster said, “the series, which follows the warmth, chaos and humour of family life at Pickle Cottage, follows Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash as they juggle their busiest chapter yet.”
The synopsis continues: “This time, however, that family dynamic expands beyond the cottage gates, as Joe finally takes the leap to realise a long-held dream: opening his own fishing lake and glamping site. What begins as Joe’s personal passion quickly becomes a full family endeavour, naturally drawing in Stacey’s creativity, the kids’ energy and the wider family’s support.
“Joe hopes the lake can be more than just a business. Having always found fishing to be a form of therapy, he’s passionate about creating a space where young people – particularly teenagers struggling with ADHD or mental health challenges – can come and spend time by the water.
“Across three episodes, we follow the highs, setbacks and humour of a family pulling together to achieve something meaningful – all leading to the grand opening of Joe’s fishing lake, where Stacey and Joe finally see if their shared dream has paid off.”
Ahead of the series premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, Swash has shared updates on the development through Instagram. Last week, he described the arrival of fish at the lake as his “biggest milestone” so far, marking another step toward preparing the attraction for future visitors.
He later posted another update showing his children meeting the newly introduced fish, writing: “Welcoming the Fish to our family @staceysolomon.”
The social media posts also highlighted ongoing work around the property as the couple continues developing the site. Swash recently shared footage of himself caring for two rescue ponies that recently arrived at Pickle Cottage, joking about his latest responsibility.
“My new favourite pastime? Shovelling [poo emoji]… said no one ever [crying laughing face and heart emojis]. Love our girls,” the former EastEnders actor wrote.
Solomon previously announced the arrival of the ponies, explaining that the animals are being fostered through Redwings Horse Sanctuary.
“Meet Thumbelina & Mermaid. They are two girls who were rescued by the incredible Redwings Horse Sanctuary. Thumbelina was seriously neglected when she was rescued by Redwings who saved her & mermaid’s owner could no longer look after her [single tear crying emoji]. So we are so grateful to be able to offer them a home. In the hope that they’re happy and want to stay forever one day.”
She added: “We have a grass area sectioned off for them & also a dry area. Redwings will check in and visit us and give us all of the guidance we need to be the best pony parents for mermaid and Thumbelina. One of my dearest friends Lianne from the incredible Hopefield Animal sanctuary is going to be our Pony hand/extra pony Mumma. As we do not take rescuing animals lightly and want to be the absolute best foster parents we can be.”
While the fishing lake and glamping site have not yet opened, the project has continued to progress through incremental development, with the arrival of fish representing an operational milestone before welcoming guests.
For outdoor hospitality operators, the project reflects a broader trend of combining recreational amenities with glamping accommodations to create diversified guest experiences. Fishing lakes, animal encounters, and other nature-based activities can encourage longer stays, broaden appeal across different visitor groups, and generate additional revenue opportunities beyond overnight accommodations.
As more operators look to differentiate their properties in a competitive market, integrating purpose-built attractions alongside lodging has become an increasingly common strategy for attracting both new and returning guests.
The third season of Stacey & Joe is expected to document the family’s journey from construction and preparation through to the planned grand opening of the fishing lake and glamping site, providing viewers with an inside look at the challenges and milestones involved in launching a new outdoor hospitality venture.