Christine McGuinness has opened up about dating with autism following her split from her husband Paddy.
The TV personality, 35, and comedian Paddy, 50, announced their split in July 2022 after 11 years of marriage and Christine has now spoken about her dating life.
Christine, who was diagnosed with autism in 2021, spoke candidly about how the developmental disorder affects dating for her.
She admitted that ‘not dating’ would be ideal for her, sharing that her diet of beige food means restaurants rarely take her restrictions into account.
Appearing on Friday’s Loose Women, she said about dating: ‘How am I going to do that? Which restaurant serves plain cheese sandwiches without butter? For me, no dating at all would be ideal.”
Candid: Christine McGuinness has opened up about dating with autism following her split from her husband Paddy
Autism refers to a range of conditions characterized by problems with social skills, repetitive behaviours, speech and non-verbal communication. People with autism can be hypersensitive to textures, tastes and smells, meaning they may prefer beige foods.
Christine talked about her sensory issues and how she developed an eating disorder as a child because she struggled to eat with other students in the school canteen.
Opening up about her mental health, she said, “I have thought about suicide several times since I was 12 years old myself and it was that one impulsive decision that could have taken me away. I sit there and look good.
“You can smile and hide how you really feel, and it can cost a life. An eating disorder wasn’t about body image. It all had to do with sensory issues. There was no plan for eating every day.
‘To have to eat and deal with children, I found that impossible. I told my mother that I was eating at school. I told school that I was eating at home. I never had a period as a teenager.
‘I wasn’t worried about my figure, I just couldn’t deal with the sensory side of things. I’m a beige-atarian. You won’t find me with a spaghetti bolognaise.’
She admitted that autism was not understood when she was at school and despite being in the top class, she struggled to concentrate and left education before the age of 14.
Christine and her ex-husband Paddy share three children – twins Leo and Penelope, nine, and Felicity, six – who are also autistic.
Exes: The TV personality, 35, and comedian Paddy, 50, (pictured in 2019) announced their separation in July 2022 after 11 years of marriage and Christine has now spoken about her dating life
Honest: Christine, who was diagnosed with autism in 2021, opened up about how the developmental disorder affects her dating life due to her dietary restrictions
Earlier this year, Christine opened up about her ‘life-changing’ diagnosis of autism and ADHD and admitted she finally ‘understands’ herself.
Christine appeared on the podcast The Doctor Will Hear You Now with host Dr. Zoe Williams, discussed her health and urged others struggling to push for a diagnosis.
Speaking about her dual diagnosis of ADHD and autism, Christine said: ‘It’s very common to be dual diagnosed if you’re autistic. You could possibly be autistic and ADHD, or autistic and dyspraxic, or dyslexic. that double barrel.
“For me, I didn’t understand how I could be ADHD, because again, you Google or you see people, and you have an image of what you think ADHD is going to be like, and I didn’t fit into that mold.
She continued, “I am an inattentive ADHDer, which is different from the typical hyperactive ADHD person you may see and recognize more often. So when I’m inattentive I can be quite distant, I live in my own little bubble.
‘It comes very naturally with my autism, it overlaps and it is very similar, but then I have moments where I am extremely hyperactive in my thoughts, in the creative side, in my feelings, in my emotions.
‘I will be extremely hyper-emotional when I’m sad: it could be the end of the world, to the point where I think, I can’t handle it anymore, I can’t do this anymore, and I even have suicidal thoughts.
‘It can go that far, and for me that is where the hyper side lies. On the plus side, when I’m happy, it’s the best thing in the world, and nothing can ruin your day, and that can be from the smallest little thing.”
After an investigation, which she described as a ‘long process’, Christine was diagnosed at the age of 31 – a result that was ‘instant relief’.
Dating: She admitted ‘not dating’ would be ideal for her when she shared that her diet of beige food means restaurants rarely accommodate her restrictions
Family: Christine and her ex-husband Paddy share three children – twins Leo and Penelope, nine, and Felicity, six – who are all also autistic
Christine explained that the scale goes from 0 to 50 and an average neurotypical person would score around 15, which Paddy did, while hers was 36.
She admitted: ‘From my own experience it has completely changed my life. Since my diagnosis, I now do so much more. I understand myself so much more. I understand people in the world so much better than ever before. I didn’t get it before.
‘I stayed inside, I was a recluse for almost eight years, I hardly left the house. I wouldn’t be doing the events, the jobs, the things I do now if I didn’t have that diagnosis. So it is very important.
“I would like to say to everyone: keep going, I know it’s hard, but don’t give up, because you deserve that clarity, you deserve to know that you’re not going crazy. You don’t think about this too much. If you think you fit that bill, go for it and have it cleared up by the doctor.’