Tyla

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Not now
OK
Advert
Advert
Advert

Christine And Paddy McGuinness To Take Part In BBC Documentary, Autism And Our Family​

Lucy Devine

Published 
| Last updated 

Christine And Paddy McGuinness To Take Part In BBC Documentary, Autism And Our Family​

Featured Image Credit: PA

Christine and Paddy McGuinness are fronting a new BBC documentary about autism.

The couple, whose three children have been diagnosed with autism, are set to open up on family life in the one-off doc, Autism and Our Family.

The programme will follow Paddy, Christine and their family (Credit: PA)
The programme will follow Paddy, Christine and their family (Credit: PA)

The programme will follow Paddy, 47, Christine, 32, and their family - twins Leo and Penelope aged seven, and Felicity, four.

Advert

In 2017, Leo and Penelope were diagnosed with autism and last year Paddy and Christine's youngest child, Felicity, four, was also diagnosed.

In the doc, the couple will share their experiences with viewers, and learn more about autism through meeting specialists, paediatricians and other parents of children with autism.

Christine regularly shares her parenting journey online (Credit: Christine McGuinness/Instagram)
Christine regularly shares her parenting journey online (Credit: Christine McGuinness/Instagram)

Both Paddy and Christine often share insights into their family life, with Christine regularly posting on social media. Recently, Christine spoke out about the struggles the family had experienced during lockdown.

Advert

Posting an image of a message she had sent a friend, Christine wrote: "This may or may not help anyone but this is 'real life' I just want to let my SEN families know you are not alone, I hear you, I understand.

"For me personally I feel good, I am very head strong and I love to stay positive but I can't deny what these lockdowns are doing to my children, my children are not the same little people they were this time last year.

"The pandemic is affecting everyone differently, wether it's your business, your mental health, a loss of life.. Covid is hitting everyone hard in different ways it's heartbreaking."

Christine regularly speaks about family life on social media (Credit: Christine McGuiness/Instagram)
Christine regularly speaks about family life on social media (Credit: Christine McGuiness/Instagram)
Advert

BBC announced the news this morning, calling the doc "intimate, emotional and refreshingly candid".

"Like 2.8million other British families, the McGuinness family is still coming to terms with their ever-changing reality - and are left with many unanswered questions.

"... What is autism in medical terms? When a child is diagnosed, what do you do? What support is out there? What does the future have in store? Is there ever a 'right' way to react and deal with the news of a diagnosis? And what is the impact on the family?

"Paddy and Christine will meet with other parents of autistic children to see how their experiences differ and whether they can learn from them. They will also meet leading paediatricians and cutting-edge child-development experts to discover more about their children's autism - and the condition in general.

Advert

"Intimate, emotional and refreshingly candid, this is the portrait of a family so many assume they know, but seen here like never before. The film aims to challenge people's preconceptions and kickstart a national conversation about an increasingly common condition that so few of us really understand."

The doc is expected to air later this year.

Topics: BBC, TV News

Lucy Devine
More like this
Advert
Advert
Advert

Chosen for YouChosen for You

Life

Conjoined twin Abby Hensel is now married

an hour ago

Most Read StoriesMost Read

Conjoined twin Abby Hensel is now married

an hour ago