Joe Swash says he felt “so guilty” coming home to his children after filming an emotional new documentary about the care system.
Chatting to Loose Women on Monday (July 10), Joe explained: “It was so difficult because obviously I’ve got kids and I put my kids in that situation.”
Joe has three children with Stacey Solomon, a son from a previous relationship and is step-father to Stacey’s two oldest kids.
He added: “I found it so difficult to… leave those kids in those situations, feeling the way they were. They didn’t know what was happening tomorrow, the next week. And then coming home to my family and just feeling so lucky and blessed but so guilty at the same time.”
The I’m A Celebrity star even thought to himself: ‘”I don’t really want to enjoy this.”
Joe Swash documentary on teens in care
Joe’s own mum Kiffy has been a foster carer for fifteen years. The star is still close with the two children she has looked after. In the documentary Joe talks to some of the rising numbers of children in the system.
At one point Joe breaks down in tears as he discusses what he’s learned with Stacey.
He told the Loose Women: “I met children that have been through the care system and… at 18 they have to leave. That’s it, they’re done. For an 18-year-old to have to go into the big wide world [after] they’ve had a real troubled childhood…
“They’re so vulnerable, they’re so scared. I couldn’t believe this was going on.”
Joe and Stacey consider fostering
In fact, Joe and Stacey are now talking about fostering themselves. Joe said: “We said if we are physically capable of doing it, and we love kids, then once our kids have flown the nest we’ll definitely think about fostering.”
He added: “They’re not our children biologically but as a society we owe it to them to give the best start in life as possible.”
An independent review has said that the system is “at breaking point” and Joe believes the government’s investment plans won’t “scratch the surface”.
Joe Swash: Teens In Care airs tonight on BBC1 at 9pm.
Read more: Joe Swash addresses new baby rumours as fans ask if wife Stacey Solomon is pregnant again.
Will you be watching Joe’s documentary? Head over to our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix to let us know.