15 March 2024 , 17:30
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Paddy McGuinness has been candid following his split from wife Christine after 11 years of marriage.
The comedian, 50, and model, 35, announced their split in 2022 after welcoming three children together. At the time they said: "We hadn't planned on sharing this publicly until we were ready but the lack of privacy surrounding our personal life, we feel left with no other option but to clarify.
"A while ago we took the difficult decision to separate but our main focus was as always is to continue loving and supporting our children. This was not an easy decision to make but we're moving forward as the best parents we can be for our three beautiful children. We'll always be a loving family, we still have a great relationship and still live happily in our family home together."
The joint statement continued: "We hope this now draws a line under anymore unwanted and unnecessary intrusion into our private life. Although we work in the public eye we ask kindly if you could respect our wishes for privacy on this matter. We'll be making no further comment."
Rumours started to swirl surrounding Paddy and Christine's love life, resulting in them announcing their split following a family trip, which was understood to be a 'make or break holiday for the pair. The couple, who share three children Penelope, Felicity and Leo, have continued to live in the same house together.
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The couple announced their split in 2022 (Instagram)The Top Gear star recently addressed their arrangements and hinted that they could one day sort out their problems and become a couple again. In a frank interview, Paddy said: "There's no toxicity in the house, says it all really. We have separate bedrooms because we respect that we aren't together any more but, whether we work it through or we don’t, what we do have is a really, really lovely family unit at home. We both love each other."
He added to The Sun: "We still hug, and we're still messaging and phoning each other every day, we're just not jumping into bed together any more." Paddy also said he is in no rush to start dating other women or "get a divorce". Christine has also admitted life hadn't changed that much for her.
She said in a previous interview that they were staying together in their family home for the benefit of Leo, Penelope and Felicity. "It’s the one thing that we completely agree on – the children’s needs come first," she said to The Sun. "We don’t want them to be affected by anything. Patrick’s diary is busy, as it always is, so he very much dips in and out of the home, because he’s working away a lot."
Recent reports suggested the former couple were gearing up for an expensive divorce case. One report suggested that Christine hoped to continue living in the £4million family mansion. Lawyer Catherine Bedford, 52, who worked with Ant McPartlin's ex-wife Lisa Armstrong in their divorce settlement, was supposedly due to represent Christine.
Last month, Christine and Paddy proved they are on friendly terms as they shared a cute photograph together in the run up to Valentine's Day. They posted a photo of their feet touching while sitting back and watching TV - with Paddy writing: "Strong high arch game in our house but there can be only one! Who takes the crown and the Pes Cavus bragging rights? Mum or Dad? School boy error leaving my socks on."