FAMILY BATTLE
Paddy & Christine McGuinness reveal heartbreaking guilt over their children’s autism as they admit ‘we blamed ourselves’
Christine and Paddy McGuinness have admitted they blamed themselves after their three children were all diagnosed with autism.
The presenter and his reality star wife recently embarked on an investigative BBC documentary - Our Family and Autism - in order to learn more about the disorder.
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It came to light during production that the former Real Housewives Of Cheshire star was autistic herself, which caused her to "put to bed" any of her parental worries.
Her three children, twins Penelope and Leo, eight, and five-year-old Felicity were all diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at a young age.
She admitted the pair had been "constantly asking themselves" whether they had done something wrong.
She told : "So when they weren't speaking, socialising and weren't eating food, I instantly blamed myself.
"But Simon [Baron-Cohen, professor at Cambridge University] has done all these studies over the years and it was clear it was genetics.
"Now I know there's nothing we could have done differently. Our children were born autistic and so was I."
Having chosen to become a stay-at-home mum while Paddy worked away, Christine said she had been "so reclusive in their early years".
She recently shed light on her autism diagnosis and detailed "having no friends" in her new book Christine McGuinness: A Beautiful Nightmare.
The model also told the Loose Women panel that she has "never been very social" and doesn't have many friends, having struggled in school.
Christine first made the admission in her book, writing: "I have been confirmed as autistic.
"It's strange, but I've noticed there are little hints throughout my life that I'm autistic and more like my children than I ever could have imagined."
Speaking about the social element, she said during the episode: "I've never been very social, I don't really have a lot of friends.
"But I think I come across as quite confident and that I can speak to anybody, I can hold a conversation."
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Nadia Sawalha asked why she felt like that and Christine revealed: "I used to worry about going to events with my husband to big events - I would worry just being in a room with hundreds of people I don't know.
"I would sit with my head down or make excuses to leave the room because I was finding it all quite overwhelming - and now I understand it's because I'm autistic."
Paddy and Christine McGuinness: Our Family and Autism airs on Wednesday, December 1, at 9pm on BBC One.
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