Stacey Solomon and cleaning sensation Mrs Hinch – real name Sophie Hinchliffe – have developed a strong friendship in recent months, and that close bond was especially evident that when they headed out for a girls' night out on Sunday. Loose Women star Stacey documented their evening in a number of selfies and short videos as the ladies cheered on her partner Joe Swash in Dancing On Ice. One sweet snapshot shared on Stacey's Instagram shows her stood with her arms wrapped around Sophie. "When they try to pit you against each other but there's no gaps here for your cruel wedges," she wrote. "Women supporting women is what it's all about. Happy Sunday everyone." Stacey also shared a number of clips showing the pair singing karaoke in the car on the way to the DOI studios, and another showing them sitting in the audience, singing along to Abba's Dancing Queen.
Stacey Solomon and Mrs Hinch enjoyed a girls' night out on Sunday
Stacey, 30, and Sophie became firm friends after the TV star reached out on Instagram. They are both parents to young sons; Stacey shares eight-month-old Rex with Joe, while Sophie has a seven-month-old son Ronnie with her husband Jamie. Speaking towards the end of last year about their blossoming friendship, Stacey told the Sun Online: "I just love her as a person. She's so down-to-earth and normal, and a great mum – because our babies are the same age we're going through all the same stages together, which is really helpful. You feel like you've got someone to ask things. What did you do for this, what did you do for that?"
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The ladies' friendship was first revealed in September, when Sophie paid a touching tribute to mum-of-three Stacey. The Instagram cleaning sensation poured her heart out on social media, admitting she had been silently struggling to live her life in the public eye as a new mum. She then revealed that Stacey had privately contacted her to ask how she was coping, which came as a huge relief.
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Sharing a gorgeous black and white snap showing the ladies and their babies snuggled up on the sofa together, Sophie wrote: "When women support other women amazing things happen… I'll be honest guys, having fallen into the public eye somehow & becoming a new mum , I've done my absolute best but it's been hard. Now I know I am SO lucky and so blessed to have my Instagram platform & my Hinchers, but Instagram & 'fame' really does have its low points."
Stacey and Sophie pictured with their sons, Rex and Ronnie
The 29-year-old admitted she found it difficult having "my family and my baby pulled apart" by internet trolls, and had even struggled to leave her own home. She continued: "It can be scary out there guys & I noticed I was starting to feel nervous about leaving the house, even to go food shopping, or pop to the petrol station. Daily things that I never used to think twice about doing. If I see the petrol gauge is low or the fridge needs refilling, I get a knot in my stomach knowing I need to go out so I've felt myself falling into a dark place.
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"But... one day I received a message from this amazing woman, simply asking me if I’m ok. It’s like she just knew I wasn’t. Even though I hadn’t made this apparent to anyone. I found myself pouring my heart out to her by message asking how she handles the public eye with a newborn. And what she said to me was 'right I'm coming round for a cuppa!' A cuppa?! I couldn't believe it! Stacey Solomon in my house?"
Sophie paid a touching tribute to Stacey back in September
Sophie then revealed that Stacey kept her word and turned up on her door armed with "her beautiful baby Rex in one arm & McDonald's in the other". She added: "I just felt myself wanting to cry. A mix of emotions I can't even explain. We sat down, we ate junk food, fed our babies & talked... talked for hours and I can honestly say I feel like a huge weight has been lifted and I'm ready to face this public eye! Trolls n all! So Stacey I'm forever grateful to you, all the best darling and I can't wait for next time."
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Touched by her kind words, Stacey shared the sweet tribute on her own Instagram caption, simply writing: "Love @mrshinchhome."
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