Christine McGuinness says she tried to be ‘perfect’ during marriage to Paddy
Christine McGuinness has admitted that she was ‘pretending’ to be someone else during her marriage to Paddy.
The 34-year-old TV personality said she went into “perfect wife” mode during her relationship with Paddy, 49, as she talked about how she would “mask” her autism.
Christine, who announced her split from Paddy in July, was diagnosed last year while filming her documentary Our Family and Autism.
Autism: Christine McGuinness has admitted she was ‘pretending’ to be someone else during her marriage to Paddy as she opens up about her autism diagnosis.
Autism is a developmental disability that affects the way people communicate, and “masking” refers to when someone suppresses natural autistic responses.
Speaking about the masking, Christine said she was ‘pretending’ to be a ‘perfect’ wife during her marriage to Paddy instead of just being herself.
She said psychologies magazine: “I’ve always wanted to be a wife, so once I met Patrick, I totally went into ‘perfect wife’ mode, you know, ‘I’ll stay and cook and clean and make sure I’m okay.’ the best wife I can be.”
“I was always pretending to be something else instead of just me, that’s all part of the masquerade.”
Masking: The TV personality, 34, said she went into “perfect wife” mode during her relationship with Paddy, 49, as she talked about how she would “mask” her autism symptoms
Christine admitted that she “grieves” for her younger self and said she became an “expert” at playing a role to fit in as a teenager, according to Mirror.
Speaking about her split from Paddy, Christine admitted that she wants her three children, who have been diagnosed with autism, to get along.
Paddy and Christine currently still live together and have not told their children, twins Penelope and Leo, nine, and daughter Felicity, seven, about their separation.
Christine said she doesn’t want ‘dramatic’ changes for her children and still wants them to remain a loving and happy family.
Diagnosis: Christine, who announced her split from Paddy in July, was diagnosed with autism last year while filming her documentary Our Family and Autism.
She continued: “We don’t want dramatic changes overnight, so it’s going to be a slow process, we don’t really know what the future holds.”
Christine and Paddy announced that they had separated in July after 11 years of marriage, but later revealed that they called it quits earlier in the year.
Despite the breakup, the recently estranged couple enjoyed a festive family vacation with their three children.
speaking to OKAY! Magazine On the split, Christine shared: ‘We’re friendly. I am very happy that he is there with the children and it is good for them to see that mom and dad are doing well. We can sit down and have a cup of tea together and that’s fine.’
Adjusting: Christine admitted she “grieves” for her younger self, saying she became an “expert” at playing a role to fit in as a teenager
Elsewhere, Christine is reportedly embarking on her first solo TV project since splitting with Paddy.
She is said to be preparing to film an “incredibly personal journey” with the BBC documenting her autism diagnosis and why she went undiagnosed for so many years.
Christine and Paddy were nominated for a National Television Award with their first film Our Family And Autism, and now the broadcaster is said to have commissioned a second documentary featuring the beauty called Unmasking My Autism.
Project: Elsewhere, it’s reported that Christine will embark on her first solo TV project since splitting with Paddy, which will determine her autism diagnosis.
A source told The Sun: ‘Christine was shocked by how autism is seen as something that mainly affects men and what feels like gender bias in diagnosis.
“The second film follows her on a journey to find answers for the thousands of other women like her in the UK, who go years undiagnosed or mask their symptoms to the detriment of their mental health.
It has taken on additional weight as his first solo project. Away from Paddy, she’s been part of casts like The Real Housewives Of Cheshire and ITV’s The Games, but this is Christine, alone and in her own space.
MailOnline contacted the BBC and Christine’s representatives for comment at the time.