Christine McGuinness has revealed that it will feel strange when she and her ex-husband Paddy McGuinness no longer live together, describing him as a huge part of her life despite the end of their marriage.
The disclosure comes after reports emerged that Paddy, 52, has moved on with BBC Radio 2 publicist Emma Carey following his split from Christine in 2022 after 11 years of marriage.
Despite their separation, the former couple have continued to reside in their Cheshire mansion to avoid unsettling their three children, twins Penelope and Leo, 13, and Felicity, ten, who all have autism.
Speaking in a new interview, the former glamour model shared that she and Paddy are fortunate to have separate wings in their home, allowing each of them to maintain personal space while co-parenting.
"We were married for a long time, I'm very very fortunate that we do still get on. I can't get rid of him!" Christine said.
"We have separate wings, we are very fortunate, we have our own space. Even still, I don't know anybody that would be so comfortable living with their ex," she added.
Christine McGuinness is a model and television personality based in Cheshire, North West England. Her former husband Paddy McGuinness is a television presenter and comedian known for hosting national radio broadcasts and primetime television entertainment shows across the UK.
Reflections on Co-Parenting Arrangement
Christine is set to appear on Ireland's Unfiltered With Lucy Kennedy Show on Sunday. In a clip released from the upcoming episode, she opened up further about her history with Paddy and how their living situation functions.
"He's been a huge part of my life, I met him at 19," Christine said in the clip.
"I suppose, it will be strange living without him one day," she admitted.
She continued: "But right now, the last three years, we've been separated, and it just works, we've got our own space, our own thing, we get on really well, and we love our children. And yeah it's, I think it probably works because we're not married."
Paddy McGuinness Spotted With Emma Carey
The comments follow recent reports surrounding Paddy's personal life after photos emerged earlier this month showing him enjoying a stroll with Emma Carey down a London street after having dinner together.
The pair enjoyed a meal at the five-star Rosewood Hotel in central London before reportedly heading to another nearby hotel afterwards.
Paddy hosts a weekly broadcast on BBC Radio 2, where Carey works as a publicist. He had been staying in London last week while acting as a stand-in host on ITV's daytime show This Morning.
An onlooker told The Sun: "Paddy looked so at ease with her. It was obvious they are incredibly comfortable together, and they laughed a lot."
"Fans will be thrilled to see him so happy after the anguish of his marriage split with Christine," the onlooker added. "It's easy to see why he's so smitten with Emma by his side. Paddy looked like the cat that got the cream."
In addition to her publicity role at BBC Radio 2, Carey is a yoga and wellness advocate who regularly shares yoga sessions and retreats in Thailand on Instagram.
The Daily Mail contacted representatives for Paddy McGuinness for comment following the reports.
Navigating Divorce and Special Educational Needs
Paddy and Christine have remained living together in their family home while co-parenting their three children. The pair maintain a good relationship for the sake of their family and tell each other when they are going on dates.
Christine recently opened up about the end of their marriage, admitting that the divorce was a difficult and challenging period in her life.
While the pair remain close friends, with Christine describing their arrangement as a blessing, she confessed that she struggled during the initial breakdown of the relationship.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, Christine said: "Divorce is scary and it was scary for me, obviously, I've never done a divorce before! It's an awful time."
"But as much as it was challenging and difficult, a lot of the thoughts and feelings were really from listening to other people's stories," she explained. "Obviously, you hear about divorce, you instantly think negativity, heartbreak and a broken family or whatever, you don't hear about other families that continue to share their home."
All three of the couple's children, Penelope, Leo, and Felicity, have autism. Autism spectrum conditions can make changes to routine and environment particularly challenging for children, making stability at home a key priority for parents managing special educational needs.
"A lot of families that have got children with special educational needs choose to do it this way," Christine explained. "Maybe they don't talk about it so much, but they're the ones who really get it and understand it."
Prioritising the Family Home and Future Boundaries
Christine emphasised that co-parenting in the shared family home has provided essential stability for their children.
"I actually do think it is a blessing, the way we work co-parenting," Christine said. "It was always a decision from the beginning that no matter what, between me and Patrick, our priority is always the children, and that's how we've kept it, fortunately."
"We're lucky that we genuinely get on so well. We're not in a rush to sell the house. We don't want to be putting the kids in mummy's house and then in daddy's house, and our work's not in a routine and our children thrive on routine," she added.
"They love the home, and in my head it's the children's home for them to grow up in. I'm not in a rush for that to change, to be honest," Christine continued. "I'd love my own little flat somewhere, but this is my home."
Following the breakdown of her marriage, Christine has been open about dating women, but stressed that she maintains firm boundaries regarding the residence she shares with Paddy.
"I would never do that," Christine insisted when asked about bringing dates home. "Like I said, this is the family home, and then Paddy and I have our lives outside."
She noted that guests were rare even during their marriage. "But we never did have many visitors to the house, even when we were married. We don't introduce the children to just anybody," she explained.
"So certainly when it comes to dating, anything like that is going to take a very, very long time, like years, years and years," Christine added.
