Solomon's award axe

Stacey no longer in the running for Mum of the Year...

13:58 06 March 2012

Stacey Solomon has been axed from a Foxy bingo's Celebrity Mum of the Year competition.

The former X Factor and IÂ’m a Celebrity star, who won the award in 2011, was among 18 famous mothers shortlisted for the gong. 

The decision to remove her from the running comes after she was pictured smoking while pregnant with her second child.

A statement from the organisers said:

"Stacey has apologised and is sorry and embarrassed by her actions. We understand Stacey is doing everything she can to stop smoking and in recent times has cut back dramatically.

"She's naturally disappointed but accepts the decision."

Speaking during a telephone interview on ITV's Loose Women, the singer spoke of her regret over her failure to quit:

"I don't for one minute think I can sit here and say it is okay - so I can accept that kind of criticism and although it's not nice to hear [the health risks] I know that it's true, and maybe that will give me more power to stop it and nip it in the bud.

"There's ups and downs to people being critical because it makes you think, 'Oh my God, I really must sort this out'. And you feel even more guilty than you already do because, don't get me wrong, I felt guilty before all of this came out.

"But there is a little a bit of you that thinks I love my children with all my heart so some of the comments are a little bit harsh."

Speaking of her efforts to give up, she said:

"I really have been and am in the process of [giving up] before these pictures came out. It's a horrible habit and I care more about my children than anything in the whole wide world so anything I can do to give up means more to me than anything else or what anyone thinks."