Stacey Solomon has marked her eldest son Zachary’s 17th birthday with a touching tribute, calling him her ‘biggest blessing.’

The Loose Women star, 35, took to Instagram to share a series of pH๏τos capturing moments from Zach’s childhood to the present day. 

Stacey, who became a mum at 17, reflected on how proud she is of her firstborn.

She shares Zach with ex-boyfriend Dean Cox and has four other children – Leighton, 12, from a previous relationship, and Rose, 3, Belle, 2, and Rex, 5, with husband Joe Swash.

Among the pH๏τos, Stacey posted a black-and-white snap of herself beaming alongside Zach, who was dressed casually in a hoodie. 

Other images included a throwback of Zach in his school uniform and another from 2010, when Stacey won I’m A Celebrity.

Stacey Solomon has marked her eldest son Zachary’s 17th birthday with a touching tribute, calling him her ‘biggest blessing’

Alongside the pictures, she wrote an emotional message celebrating her son’s milestone.

’17 Today. 17 years of you Zach. Your birthday gets me every year. But especially this one. It’s so strange to think that when I was your age your were in my tummy. 

‘Every year you get older, you keep growing into the most amazing human. I’m so proud of who you are Zach. 

‘The last 17 years have been the best years of my life. It hasn’t always been easy, but growing up with you, made me who I am and having you by my side since I was your age now has been the biggest blessing I could have ever wished for. To the moon & back Zach’.

It comes after Zach and his brother Leighton, 12, bagged roles in Hollyoaks earlier this year.

Fans were shocked to see Stacey’s eldest sons making their acting debut on the Channel 4 soap.

The official Instagram account for the show announced the exciting news by posting a snap of the youngsters alongside fellow castmates Charlie Clapham and Charlie Wernham, with stills of them acting.

A video showed a snippet of the scenes they starred in, with Zachary playing a Parcel Patrons worker who was delvering a fruit package and bumped into Mercedes (Jennifer Metcalfe).

The Loose Women star, 35, took to Instagram to share a series of pH๏τos capturing moments from Zach’s childhood to the present day including this one when she won I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here

Stacey, who became a mum at 17, reflected on how proud she is of her firstborn who she shares with ex-boyfriend Dean Cox

Alongside the black and white pH๏τos, Stacey wrote an emotional message celebrating her son’s milestone saying that he has made her who she is

And Leighton took on the role of a paperboy, who also got told off by Price Slice employee Pearl Anderson (Dawn Hope) after he was late to delivering his papers.

Price quipped: ‘Oh late Leighton, what time do you call this to be collecting papers? I’ll be having a word with your mother. Go on.’ 

Meanwhile, she told Zachary: ‘My papayas I presume. I was expecting them first thing this morning. Round the back, please.’

The duo seemed to keep their own names for the brief appearance and it’s yet to be revealed whether it’s a one-off or they will be playing returning roles.

Hollyoaks simply posted the eyes emoji for the caption, which sent fans wild in the comments as they begged to find out whether they new additions were there to stay.

Viewers quipped: ‘Thought I recognised them did they just visit the set or are they joining?’

‘Stacey Solomons eldest boy omg.’

‘Are these two not Stacey Solomon’s eldest boys? I’m sure they are.’ 

‘I thought I knew their faces. I had to rewind it to make sure hahahah.’

‘@staceysolomon love it, Zachery and Leighton in Hollyoaks… is it a one off??’ 

Stacey Solomon’s nepo baby sons are following in his footsteps and have bagged roles of their own in Hollyoaks (Zachary, 16, pictured right and Leighton, 12, pictured left)

The official Instagram account for the show announced the exciting news on Tuesday by posting a snap of the youngsters (Stacey Solomon pictured)

The official Instagram account for the show announced the exciting news on Tuesday by posting stills of them acting on set, as well as a video

Zachary (LEFT) played a Parcel Patrons worker who was delviering a package and bumped into Mercedes (Jennifer Metcalfe) and Leighton took on the role of a paperboy (RIGHT)

Hollyoaks simply posted the eyes emoji for the caption, which sent fans wild in the comments as they begged to find out whether they new additions were there to stay

Viewers quipped: ‘Thought I recognised them did they just visit the set or are they joining?’

Read More Stacey Solomon begs fans to ‘hold her accountable’ after revealing New Year’s resolution

‘@staceysolomon well you kept this one quiet! But why are the boys there? Lol’ 

‘I wasn’t expecting Stacey Solomon’s kids on here.’ 

Zachary and Leighton aren’t the first well-known faces to make a debut into acting by turning to Hollyoaks.

Love Island star Curtis Pritchard and his brother AJ had a widely-panned cameo on the soap back in 2021.

In 2021, the twins played twins Marco and Jacob; but their scenes soon went viral due to their ‘wooden’ acting. 

In particular, Curtis’s delivery of the line, ‘How’s Trish?’, was mocked by viewers unsure whether the brothers were plotting to murder long-time character Trish Minniver or throw her a surprise party.

Love Island star Curtis Pritchard and his brother AJ had a widely-panned cameo on the soap back in 2021 but their scenes soon went viral due to their ‘wooden’ acting

Elsewhere, Zachary and Leighton’s actor-turned-presenter step-dad Joe Swash, 42, made his return to Eastenders at the end of last year, after 13 years away from Albert Square.

Joe played the role of Mickey Miller on EastEnders from 2003 until 2008 and made a one-off appearance in December but has admitted that a full-time comeback would depend on his family.

He told The Mirror: ‘If they wanted me to go back in, that would be something I would think about.

‘I’ve got a big family so it would have to suit me and the family ultimately. Soaps are quite full on and I have quite a young family.’

Joe won I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! the same year he left EastEnders, and has since gone on to a major career as a personality.

He has appeared as a contestant on numerous celebrity game shows, won Dancing on Ice in 2020 and regularly fronts daytime compeтιтions for ITV.

Zachary has previously appeared on Sort Your Life Out alongside his mum Stacey

Their actor-turned-presenter step-dad Joe Swash, 42, played the role of Mickey Miller on EastEnders from 2003 until 2008 

The couple have son Rex, four, and daughters Rose, two, and 16-month-old Belle together, while Stacey has Leighton, 12, and Zachary, 16, and Joe has Harry, 16, from previous relationships

In his recent cameo in Albert Square, Joe appeared completely naked with only a Christmas present to hide his modesty. 

It comes just after Stacey confirmed that she and Joe have filmed a reality show focused on their family life.

Following reports that they were filming a ‘Kardashian-style’ series at their beloved Pickle Cottage, the Sort Your Life Out star, 35, took to Instagram on New Year’s Day to officially announce the news.

Sharing a sweet trailer to promote the series, the clip featured Stacey and Joe’s children playing in the garden of their £1.2 million EsSєx home, alongside their dogs Teddy and Peanut, and her ducks Daisy and Delilah.

The show, тιтled Stacey & Joe, will air on the BBC later this year, with an air date yet to be announced.

Captioning the post, Stacey wrote: ‘A new year. A very new adventure. Coming Spring 2025. We’ve been so nervous & excited to share this. Here is us. All of us.

It comes just after Stacey confirmed that she and Joe have filmed a reality show focused on their family life

The Sort Your Life Out star took to Instagram on New Year’s Day to officially announce the news, following reports she and Joe were filming the fly-on-the-wall series

Sharing a sweet trailer to promote the series, the clip featured Stacey and Joe’s five children playing in the garden of their £1.2 million EsSєx home

‘In 2024 we opened up our home & made a series about our lives, family, work & everything in between.

‘It was a huge leap into the unknown & it’s been an absolute whirlwind making it. But last year as a family we decided to say yes to more & do things we’d never done.

‘We have spoken about making a documentary for a long time, lots of you have asked too. So here we go. A journey with us every second of the way.

‘Through the laughter the tears & the craziness… We hope it makes you smile, feel good & hopefully enjoy getting to know us all a little more.’

Stacey and Joe have signed a lucrative deal with the BBC after chiefs there realised just how popular the Loose Women star has become.

They are also thrilled with the success of her show Sort Your Life Out which sees her and her team help families transform their homes.

Insiders at the network say that bosses view her as their ‘new golden girl’ due to her ‘relatability.’

She also has a huge following, particularly of young viewers which the BBC are so keen to attract.