Joe Swash has revealed the heart-wrenching story of losing his father and the whirlwind of his family life with Stacey Solomon in a deeply emotional episode of Who Do You Think You Are? on BBC One.
The former EastEnders star, 44, reflected on the sudden death of his dad, Ricky, when Joe was only 12. Ricky passed away at just 39 due to an undiagnosed heart condition. Speaking candidly, Joe said: “For me, the past has been something that I’ve, not avoided but I’ve had no interest in. I lost my dad when I was quite young. He was only 39. I was just 12.”
Joe described the dramatic shift in his childhood home: “When my dad was alive, my house was full of life and laughter, and then when he died, for a long time, it was a house full of sadness and grief. A lot of the time it was just trying to get through that period.”
The actor shared how the loss affected him at school, compounded by undiagnosed dyslexia and ADHD: “Growing up in London, I was quite vulnerable, not having a father figure. A lot of the time I was misunderstood as being quite naughty and mischievous. There was a lot of gang culture and people who wanted to be my family and friends and pull me into a bad environment. Thankfully, some strong women helped me stay on track.”
Joe also opened up about the chaos of home life with Stacey Solomon at Pickle Cottage. Living with their three children—Rex, Rose, and Belle—plus Stacey’s sons from previous relationships, Zachary and Leighton, Joe admitted: “My life is quite chaotic. Work takes me all over the place, and the hours are erratic. At home, we’ve got five kids. Every now and then, I need to go fishing. I’d say fishing is only 30% of it; the other 70% is just being close to nature and chilling out next to the water.”
The journey of self-discovery continued as Joe traced his ancestry, discovering that his great-great grandfather Giuseppe was an activist involved in the Communist Workers’ movement in the 1920s. Joe reflected: “It really fills me with pride to think he struggled through life, being Italian, yet still cared about the world and stood against fascism. He must have had a great moral compass.”
Presented with a newspaper clipping of his ancestor’s powerful words, Joe was visibly moved: “If we desire peace, we must organise against this brutal system… Joy and happiness shall be supreme and humanity will be the flower of spring.” He admitted wiping away tears: “I thought I could detach myself, but there’s something quite touching about reading this.”
From personal grief to a chaotic family life, and a lineage of courage, Joe Swash’s story reminds us how past and present shape who we are today.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/
