Paddy & Christine McGuinness SPLIT: MailOnline details tell-tale signs
Paddy and Christine McGuinness SPLIT: From cheating accusations and parenting challenges to 15-year age-gap and hectic schedules – MailOnline details the tell-tale signs of pair’s marital discord before separation
Paddy McGuinness and Christine have split after 11 years of marriage, it was exclusively revealed by MailOnline on Friday.
Taking to Instagram, Paddy, 48, and Christine, 34, confirmed their separation but revealed they will continue living together for the sake of their three children.
The couple share twins Penelope, and Leo, eight, and Felicity, six, all of whom have been diagnosed with autism – and they insist their upbringing remains a top priority.
Christine met Paddy while modelling at a Liverpool Tennis Tournament in 2007 and the pair married during a lavish wedding at Thornton Manor three years later.
However, their relationship has been rocked by rumours of troubles in the marriage, following cryptic social media posts, cheating allegations, and hectic work schedules.
MailOnline takes a look at their struggles and the beginning of the end for the couple.
Split: Paddy McGuinness and Christine have split after 11 years of marriage, it was exclusively revealed by MailOnline on Friday
‘No common interests’
One fundamental issue in the relationship may have stemmed from the lack of hobbies in common.
In his biography, My Lifey, which was released last year, Paddy said in the chapter entitled Marriage and Kids that himself and Christine are ‘polar opposites with no common interests.’
He explained their relationship had survived so far because of the laughter they share together and their mutual interest in lovemaking.
Different people: In his biography, My Lifey, which was released last year, Paddy said in the chapter entitled Marriage and Kids that himself and Christine are ‘polar opposites with no common interests’ (pictured 2011)
Paddy wrote: ‘We don’t like the same films, TV programmes or food, we wouldn’t have a night out together, and we annoy each other most of the time.
‘I hardly know any of her mates, and aside from living in the same house we have totally separate lives.
‘So why are we still married after a decade? Answer: we laugh and make love… a lot.’
15 year age gap
While some people have pointed towards the 15 year age gap between the couple as an issue, Christine has always maintained that it doesn’t affect them.
Christine – who was just 19 when she met Paddy – said: ‘The only time we notice the age difference is when someone else points it out.’
However, she has pointed out that the relationship worked with her being younger, because she feels ‘old for my age’ while Paddy is ‘immature’.
She said: ‘I’ve always been quite old for my age whereas Patrick is immature. We meet somewhere in the middle.’
Age gap: While some people have pointed towards the 15 year age gap between the couple as an issue, Christine has always maintained that it doesn’t affect them (pictured in 2010)
Nicole Appleton photos
The marriage hit its first rough patch in 2018, when Paddy was snapped on a boozy night out with All Saints’ Nicole Appleton.
After she was spotted on Paddy’s arm during their night out in London, it was revealed that the pair have been exchanging tweets since the previous autumn.
Back in September 2017, the TV personality tweeted that he was making himself a cup of tea before settling down to watch his BBC show Even Better Than The Real Thing.
Nicole responded with the love heart eyes emoji to which Paddy replied with an emoji blowing a kiss and writing: ‘u numero uno!’ [sic]
Cracks: The marriage hit it’s first rough patch in 2018, when Paddy was snapped on a boozy night out with All Saints’ Nicole Appleton (Christine and Paddy in 2018)
The cheeky banter continued in November when Paddy posted a montage of saints, including a picture of Nicole’s band All Saints to celebrate All Saints Day.
He wrote: ‘Morning! Whatever your preference have a peaceful All Saints Day from the McGuinty’s. #AllSaintsDay’
Nicole’s response included the blushing emoji as she told Paddy ‘Thanks!’
It also emerged that Nicole hit ‘like’ on at least 124 of Paddy’s 1,139 posts on Instagram since April.
Hours after the photos emerged of the two out, Christine took to social media to share a number of cryptic posts about ‘lies’ and ‘deserving more’.
Scandal: After she was spotted on Paddy’s arm during their night out in London on Saturday, it was revealed that the pair have been exchanging tweets since the previous autumn (Nicole pictured in 2019)
She took to Twitter to post two messages about ‘things falling apart’ and ‘deserving more’.
The first cryptic message read: ‘When you realise you deserve so much more.. that’s not a bad thing.’
She then followed this up with a lengthier and more emotional post on Instagram, stating: ‘I believe everything happens for a reason.
‘People change so you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you can appreciate them when they’re right.
‘You believe lies so that you will eventually learn to trust no one but yourself and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.’
Flirty: Nicole responded with the love heart eyes emoji to which Paddy replied with an emoji blowing a kiss and writing: ‘u numero uno!’ [sic]
She was also snapped in floods of tears during what should have been a routine trip home from her local hair salon in Cheshire.
Christine spoke about the couple’s ‘difficult’ marriage shortly after the images of Paddy and Nicole, 47, who were spotted in London’s Soho, were made public.
In March 2018, she said: ‘It’s been difficult recently. I want us to spend more time together, to do stuff together.
‘I wish he would stay home more, or that I could go with him. But we are happier than ever, we have been putting the effort in.
‘There have been times when he’s left to go to work and I’ve waved him off and then I’ve gone back into the house and cried thinking I wish he would just stay in.’
Cryptic: Hours after the photos emerged of the two out, Christine took to social media to share a number of cryptic posts about ‘lies’ and ‘deserving more’
Last year, in her autobiography, A Beautiful Nightmare, Christine opened up further on the drama, revealing she felt ‘physically sick’ after seeing the photos.
She revealed her husband still regrets not picking up her calls after the pictures began circulating online, prompting such a strong reaction in Christine at the time that she vomited.
The reality star penned: ‘It was a bit of a heartbroken moment. I was absolutely devastated by these pictures.’
‘Patrick had spent weeks in London. He was filming The Keith & Paddy Picture Show and was due to come back, but rang me to tell me he was exhausted. “Stay down there,” I told him, calmly. “Get your work done and come home when you’re ready.”‘
Ultimately, she decided to take him back due to wanting her children to have a dad at home, which is something she had not experienced herself growing up.
The Blackpool native concluded: ‘For that to happen, I had to brush it under the carpet. I haven’t mentioned it since. We’ve never spoken about it really, and I’ve certainly never talked about it publicly before.’
Parenting challenges
Paddy and Christine’s three children – twins Penelope, and Leo, eight, and Felicity, six – have all been diagnosed with autism, with Paddy admitting he found their diagnosis ‘hard to come to terms with’ although it’s clear he loves them very much.
He said: ‘The early days when we knew nothing about autism were really tough.
‘The kids didn’t sleep; they’d have meltdowns at loud noises and bright lights and nothing we did helped. We kept the curtains closed and hardly let anyone into the house.’
Paddy’s biggest fear is that his children will fail to recognise how loved they are because their autism causes them to struggle with emotion.
Challenges: Paddy and Christine’s three children – twins Penelope, and Leo, eight, and Felicity, six – have all been diagnosed with autism, with Paddy admitting he found their diagnosis ‘hard to come to terms with’
In their documentary Our Family and Autism, which aired in December, Christine explained: ‘He’s said this for years about the love thing and it’s not something we’ve disagreed on, but Patrick has worried for years that the children might not feel loved, or they don’t understand it.
‘I’ve always said they do; they struggle to show it and struggle to appreciate sometimes everything that we do for them because they’re autistic.’
Christine was diagnosed as autistic herself during the documentary, confessing that she struggled in school, had few friends growing up, and preferred spending time on her own.
The Games contestant revealed she spent eight years of her marriage to Paddy inside their home because she felt uncomfortable around people.
She said: ‘In my 20s I had around eight years of just staying in and avoiding any kind of contact with anybody other than my husband. I just avoided everyone. I didn’t socialise, I’ve never really had friends so it’s never been an issue.
‘It’s something that I’ve thought for years and even at school I always felt different. I have known there is something.’
Worries: Paddy’s biggest fear is that his children will fail to recognise how loved they are because their autism causes them to struggle with emotion
Busy work schedules
In 2019, Christine opened up about feeling like a ‘single parent’ as Paddy keeps up with his busy work schedule.
During the frank interview with The Mirror, the former Miss Britain described how she was left to steer the ship at home and look after the kids alone, as Paddy kept up with his tiresome work commitments.
She told The Mirror: ‘I would be lying if I said it’s great. It’s not, it’s really tough.
‘At the moment I barely see him. It is getting to the point now where I feel it is overwhelming and too much.
‘I feel like a single parent at times. I keep thinking it will quieten down soon but actually I don’t think it will.
‘I think work will be good for Paddy and he’s going to be very, very busy and so I don’t know what we’re going to do.’
Workaholic: In 2019, Christine opened up about feeling like a ‘single parent’ as Paddy keeps up with his busy work schedule (Paddy pictured on Top Gear in June)
Separate holidays
This year has seen a fresh wave of rumours that the pair are on the rocks in recent months, as they holidayed abroad separately just last month.
Christine jetted off on her first ever girls’ holiday with her close friend Chelcee Grimes, while Paddy returned on Sunday from a Top Gear filming trip to Thailand.
‘Very difficult time’
After the recent breakup rumours, Christine did a number of interviews where she admitted the couple were have issues.
Last week, she appeared on ITV show Lorraine, which was presented by Carol Vorderman, where she spoke about her marriage to Paddy.
She said: ‘Marriages go through up and downs anyway, all marriages, especially long ones like ours – 15 years together, it’s not always going to be plain sailing but we’re trying to deal with things as privately as possible and we both want to be there to support the children and give them an amazing summer.
‘We’re going away on a family holiday next week and we’re really excited about it and they are always going to be our focus and they’re the most important things to us.’
Then, talking openly to The Sun’s Fabulous Magazine, Christine admitted: ‘I’m feeling really quite raw and all over the place. What I might have put up with in the past, I probably wouldn’t put up with now, and the same for him.
‘I can’t deny we are having a very, very difficult time,’ she shared.
But keen to clear her own name, the former model added that she wasn’t the one who caused the difficult situation.
‘It’s just — we’ve been together 15 years, 11 years married: we are gonna have ups and downs — but this situation at the minute — I don’t want to go into it too much but I will just say that I didn’t cause this situation,’ she continued.
Brushing off the situation as ‘ups and downs’, Christine added that ‘the family bond will always be there no matter what – as she explained that the pair met when she was teenager.
Having her say: After the recent breakup rumours, Christine did a number of interviews where she admitted the couple were have issues
Cheating scandal
Paddy was then hit by claims that he cheated on Christine with a fellow TV star last year amid the speculation that their marriage is in trouble.
According to The Sun, the Top Gear presenter kissed another woman behind Christine’s back, with her finding out when she took part in The Games in May.
Paddy is believed to have kissed the star last year after a TV show appearance.
Shock: According to The Sun, the Top Gear presenter kissed another woman behind Christine’s back, with her finding out when she took part in The Games in May (Christine is pictured on The Games)
A source from The Games told the publication: ‘Everyone was talking about it. The crew all knew about the Paddy rumours, and there they were, now working really closely with Christine.
‘It was one of those shows where everyone bonded and everyone loved Christine.
‘Paddy wasn’t around at all during The Games and the more people got to know Christine, the more they felt she deserved to know what he’d been up to.
‘A number of them told her about the kiss and that he’d been unfaithful. She was very hurt and upset.’
Christine’s rep replied to MailOnline saying: ‘Christine is dealing with her marriage in private.’
Cryptic posts
Earlier this month, Christine appeared to address the rumours via social media, reposting a range of quotes about love and trust.
In the posts, the TV personality said although she has been ‘the most broken version’ of herself at times, she has also been the ‘strongest’.
Christine also shared a series of cryptic motivational quotes about ‘making positive choices’ and ‘completely re-creating yourself’.
Candid: Earlier this month, Christine appeared to address the rumours via social media, reposting a range of quotes about love and trust
Deep: Christine also shared a series of cryptic motivational quotes about ‘trust’, ‘making positive choices’ and ‘completely re-creating yourself’
She wrote on Instagram: ‘Regarding the press… There is only one thing I want to make clear right now… I didn’t put us in this situation.’
While a source recently said to The Mirror that: ‘It’s been a very tough time of late. The problems are very much current.’
They also added that the couple are ‘trying to work through various issues.’
‘You’re glowing, girl’: The mother-of-three re-posted a series of motivational quotes about ‘creating new habits and stepping into a life that actually lights you up’
Social media absence
Christine hasn’t shared an Instagram picture with Paddy since February, when she posted a promotional image of the pair to launch their first podcast, Table Talk, which discusses the realities families with ill or disabled children face.
And after her recent appearance on ITV’s The Games, fans were quick to notice a lack of public support from Paddy, with the pair also being snapped in what appeared to be a tense conversation.
It was the couple’s 11th wedding anniversary on June 4, but it was a non-event, with neither posting on social media about the occasion.
Paddy failed to mention Christine after he posted a birthday tribute to their twins Leo and Penelope earlier this month.
Paddy finally shared a snap of the couple together to his grid on Friday on their make-or-break holiday, only hours before they announced their split.
Hours before: Paddy finally shared a snap of the couple together to his grid on Friday on their make-or-break holiday, only hours before they announced their split
Splitsville
The couple finally announced their separation on Friday, releasing a joint statement on Instagram.
They wrote: ‘We hadn’t planned on sharing this publicly until we were ready but after the lack of privacy surrounding our personal life, we feel left with no other option but to clarify.
‘A while ago we took the difficult decision to separate but our main focus as always is to continue loving and supporting our children.
‘This was not an easy decision to male but we’re moving forward as the best parents we can be for our three beautiful children. We’ll always be a loving family, we still have a great relationship and still live happily in our family home together.
It’s over: The couple finally announced their separation on Friday, releasing a joint statement on Instagram
‘We hope this now draws a line under anymore unwanted and unnecessary intrusion into our private life.
‘Although we work in the public eye we ask kindly if you could respect our wishes for privacy on this matter. We’ll be making no further comment.’
A source told MailOnline: ‘Paddy and Christine have given everything to their marriage over the years.
‘Sadly, they have made the tough decision to part ways for the sake of their young family, who they will continue to co-parent together.
‘It’s been no secret within their inner circle that it’s been a difficult few years for them as a couple but they still very much support each other and will continue to do so throughout their separation.’
Separation: A source told MailOnline: ‘Paddy and Christine have given everything to their marriage over the years. Sadly, they have made the tough decision to part ways for the sake of their young family, who they will continue to co-parent together’
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