Christine: ‘Autism is just part of us, it’s not everything’
She’s raising awareness of the condition with a new podcast
After the huge success of their documentary Paddy And Christine Mcguinness: Our Family And Autism last year, the celebrity couple have launched a podcast to help raise awareness of the challenges faced by families like theirs. Christine was herself diagnosed with autism in 2021, something she tells heat was a “huge relief” and has also brought her closer to their three kids – eight-year-old twins Penelope and Leo, and younger daughter Felicity, three – who have all also been diagnosed as autistic. We chatted to the 33 year old about why their new podcast, Table Talk With Paddy And Christine, is so important to her…
What does it mean to you to be able to raise awareness of living with conditions like autism?
Everything. To be able to help educate people is something I never thought I would be doing in a million years. I left school young, with no GCSES, and it’s only in the last couple of years that I’ve realised how much my children have taught me. They’ve taught me about a condition that I knew absolutely nothing about, and now I’m able to teach other people about it just by talking. This podcast is for anybody who wants to listen and learn. Ultimately, all we want is for our children to grow up in an inclusive world, and to do that, we need to get people to listen, understand, accept, and include.
Was it a relief when you were diagnosed with autism yourself last year?
Definitely. I’d always wondered, because I saw so much of myself in the children, but actually hearing it from a professional just confirmed what I’d always thought. It came as a huge relief to be able to say it out loud. It’s alright to be an autistic mum, an autistic wife and autistic
woman – that’s me. And I’ve got autistic kids – it’s just part of us, it’s not everything.
Did it make you feel closer to your children?
Definitely. We haven’t spoken to our children about being autistic yet, although we do talk about it a lot in front of them. They’re really young, so we’re not ready to discuss it yet, but when that conversation does happen, to be able to say, “You’re a bit like Mummy, and Mummy’s doing OK! Mummy’s married, Mummy works, Mummy drives.” It’s not going to hold them back from doing anything. I want to show them that by seeing Mummy going to work, and on days out, and going to restaurants – all the little things that we worried they might not do – I want to be the first person to show them that they can do it.
What did the pandemic mean for your family?
We realised how important family time is. That was a huge positive to come out of that time for us. Just having mealtimes together was something that we’d never really done before, and now we do try and make that happen. Our lives have always been hectic, and this was the first time that we had to stay at home all five of us. It was challenging at times, but we also had some really lovely moments with the children, just being a family in the garden together.
What’s your favourite family meal?
Chips is always the first thing on the menu. They’ve always loved beige food so chips, chicken nuggets, fish fingers – all that standard children’s food.
Sounds delicious!
It is such a blessing, because I am not the best chef in the world – I don’t mind admitting that. Thank God they’re not asking for sushi, because I wouldn’t touch it! ■
Table Talk With Paddy And Christine in partnership with Mccain and Family Fund is available to listen to on all major streaming platforms. Listeners can support families raising a disabled child, in urgent need, by heading to Mccainfamilyfund.co.uk to learn more and donate
‘Lockdown was challenging at times’