11 April 2023 , 07:24
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Christine McGuinness has admitted that she "doesn't know life without Paddy" but has accepted that she won't live with him forever as she opened up about her unusual home living arrangements.
The Loose Women star, 33, and Top Gear, 49, presenter officially split in July last year following a rumoured make-or-break holiday.
However, they have remained living together to co-parent their three children - nine-year-old twins Leo and Penelope and Felicity, seven - who were all diagnosed with autism.
Opening up about their unusual living arrangements, despite no longer being a couple, Christine admitted that it's "certainly not a long-term or forever plan".
Christine McGuinness has addressed home life with ex Paddy (Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock)"It works right now because we’re both so busy and we’re in and out of the home so we tend to swap days and we’ll share. It’s much like any parent really – juggling jobs and children," she told OK! magazine.
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"We definitely don’t want to upset them or change anything too quickly, and for me as well. I like slow changes, and we’re alright – we’re family. I’ve known Paddy for 15 years, so I don’t know life without him. It is what it is."
Quizzed on whether Paddy is proud of all her achievements, she explained that he was happy she had found a place she was comfortable in and was particularly proud of her book and documentary on her autism diagnosis.
"He watched it and he loved it, and said he was really pleased that not only was I working but I was making a big difference as well," she continued. "It’s good he’s supportive because I need him to be. I need to be able to leave happily knowing the children are being looked after and safe. It’s partnership and teamwork."
Christine still lives with ex Paddy (David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock for NTA)
She can't imagine life without him (David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock)Christine admitted that the thought of dating "sounds awful for anybody" but as someone with autism it's particularly tricky.
"I don’t like new places, restaurants, and I’m very particular with food, so the last thing I would want to do is go on a date. I can’t even imagine it," she said. "I’ve never really dated. When I met Patrick, I met him casually and we built up a friendship before it got romantic, so something like that would probably suit me better.
"However, right now I’m focusing on the children and my work. Any free time I’ve got goes on myself because I’m exhausted. Dating doesn’t sound fun, and I’ve heard some horror stories, so I’m not planning on jumping in there."
Christine has said that she doesn'e feel like a single mum yet because nothing has changed in her life, but explained that her own mum was a single mum so she knows that she'll be fine.
She added: "I’ve had the children a hell of a lot, from when they were newborns. Paddy was always working away and I was a full-time mum.
"I probably felt more like a single mum back then than I do now, because he’s at home a lot more now than he was then."