Joe Swash has said he had “no real purpose” in his life before having kids.
The 40-year-old former EastEnders star is now a dad of five, including two stepsons he shares with fiancée Stacey Solomon.
As well as son Rex, three, and baby Rose with Stacey, Joe has a 14-year-old son called Harry from his previous relationship with Emma Sophocleus.
While Stacey has two more children from previous relationships, Zachary, 14, and 10-year-old Leighton.
But after a small part in EastEnders when he was a baby, it seems teenager Harry might be about to follow in his famous dad’s footsteps and embark on an acting career.
Get all the biggest showbiz news straight to your inbox. Sign up for the free Mirror Showbiz newsletter.
Joe – who has since carved out a successful career as a TV presenter - revealed his eldest boy is off to drama school.
Speaking to Closer magazine, he shared: “The kids are intrigued by what me and Stacey do, but Harry is the only one who has shown a firm interest.
“He loves drama, performing arts and comedy, so I think he’s going to go to drama academy. I’m so proud of him.”
Joe is apprehensive about Harry going into showbusiness “because you need a really thick skin”.
But he said he’ll be there to make sure Harry keeps his feet on the ground and doesn’t take it to heart too much if things don’t go his way.
Speaking about fatherhood in general, Joe admitted “there was no real purpose in my life” before becoming a dad.
Although it’s not always easy, he said it’s the most fulfilling thing he’s done in his life and he tries to be “as hands on as possible”.
He recently welcomed his first daughter Rose, who was born on Stacey’s 32 nd birthday last October.
Joe said at first he was “nervous” about having a girl, as he was so used to boys.
But the ex-I’m A Celebrity: Extra Camp presenter says Rose is just as robust as her brothers – if not more so – and loves a little wrestle.
All his children will form part of his wedding to Stacey, which is set to take place at their £1.2 million Essex mansion - dubbed Pickle Cottage - on July 25.
The couple were due to get married last year but postponed their plans due to coronavirus.
They also decided they wanted to make sure their baby daughter Rose could be there on their big day.
Although exact details of Stacey and Joe’s wedding have been kept under wraps, they have revealed some things about their big day .
Instead of a church, they have managed to obtain a special marriage licence so they could have the ceremony in their garden at Pickle Cottage.
Once they have exchanged vows under a pergola, guests are set to eat dinner in an outdoor area of the garden.
Later on in the evening Stacey has said she “really wants a karaoke” for the entertainment.
Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at webcelebs@trinitymirror.com or call us direct 0207 29 33033.
