Stacey Solomon seeks beekeeping tips from David Beckham for Pickle Cottage hive

Stacey Solomon has reached out to David Beckham for beekeeping tips as she plans to install a beehive at her Pickle Cottage home in Essex. The moment unfolds as the TV personality returns to the BBC with Stacey & Joe, a fly-on-the-wall docuseries that follows life at the couple’s sprawling home and their four children.

Solomon said her older sister Gemma urged her to reach out, and she sent the message to Beckham on Instagram with a hope of getting pointers. In her note she said: "I'm getting a beehive and I know you and Victoria have got bees and they're a big part of your life, so I just wondered if you had any top tips or advice." She added: "I'm already regretting sending you this message because I know you'll never see it, or hear it, and if you do you'll probably think I'm a weirdo."

Her husband Joe Swash reacted on the show, joking that Beckham probably wouldn’t respond: "Damn right he didn't reply, he better not either." He added: "Hands off mate. I don't need David Beckham. It's the last thing I need."

Beckham has long kept bees at his £12 million Cotswolds home and regularly shares updates about his beekeeping on social media. He recently launched BEEUP, a honey-powered snack for children, described as a passion project born from his beekeeping hobby and marketed in the United States through Target stores. Since building his first hive in 2020, he has said the experience has deepened his appreciation for honey’s health benefits and active-lifestyle storytelling for kids.

In 2024, neighbors raised concerns about two new hives placed near the boundary of his mansion and a public footpath, arguing the setup could pose public-safety issues. The controversy highlighted tensions that can accompany celebrity beekeeping in densely populated areas.

Allergy UK notes that Britain hosts many bee species but that the honeybee is the one most likely to sting; stings are most commonly experienced by beekeepers, their families, or neighbors who manage hives.

The exchange offers a glimpse into how celebrity culture intersects with everyday hobbies in today’s reality-TV landscape, as Solomon’s docuseries continues to document life at Pickle Cottage and the family’s day-to-day adventures with husband Joe Swash and their children.