Christine McGuinness has heartbreaking reason she doesn’t let her dad see her kids
In recent years, Christine McGuinness has ceaselessly hit the headlines with stories surrounding her turbulent family life.
As well as her ongoing divorce proceedings from ex Paddy McGuinness, and the raising of her three children - all of whom have diagnosed autism - the TV star has this week lifted the lid on another agony she's been harbouring behind the scenes.
And that's surrounding the status of the relationship with her own father.
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The 36-year-old Real Housewives of Cheshire star shares her three kids - Penelope, Leo and Felicity - with her Take Me Out host former flame, with whom she called it quits back in 2022 after 11 years together.
Since then, Christine has spoken frequently - and with refreshing honesty - about the ups and downs of single parenthood, particular with all three of her children having been diagnosed with autism.
And sadly this week, the former Dancing On Ice star has revealed that during her darkest days, she can't even turn to her own father, Johnny, for aid, due to the somewhat estranged nature of their relationship.
So much so, that Christine says she hesitates in allowing her dad to be part of her children's lives.
Speaking to Closer magazine this week, the mum-of-three lifted the lid on exactly why she is somewhat estranged from her old man, revealing that substance abuse has kept them apart.
"He started taking heroin about 40 years ago and didn’t understand the dangers and obviously got addicted," she told the news outlet.
"For me, I’ve always looked at it as an illness, and for him to get over that and fight.. he’s done incredibly well."
Asked whether she hopes to one day implement regular visits between her children and her father, she insisted: "It’s definitely something I want to do.
"I just want to make sure that he does carry on down the right path because I know with addiction – I’ve seen it with my dad – where he’s started to get a bit better and then he’s relapsed, and that could happen again."
Christine's tear-jerking admission comes just weeks after she opened up on the touching moment she saw her father walk unaided by a wheelchair or stick for the first time on his journey to recovery.
Speaking to Made in Chelsea star Spencer Matthews on his Big Fish podcast back in April, she claimed that her father feels like a 'brand new person'.
"The first time I've seen my dad clean properly was this year, and he stood up and walked towards me for a hug," she recalled at the time.
"And I've never seen him just stand up unaided before. It just took me back a bit and I panicked a bit and went 'Are you ok?' and went to hold him, because wherever I've seen him before I've had to hold him or get a walking stick or he's been in a wheelchair."
She added: "It was like looking at a brand new person. He's always had his personality, but now it's just so much better.
"And he's so happy - that's the best thing. I love that he's healthy, but seeing him just really, really happy is amazing.
"He's in his sixties now and hopefully he's got a good few years left in him and he can enjoy life. I love seeing him, we laugh so much more, we talk a lot more."
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Rhianna Benson