Christine McGuinness to front BBC documentary about autism in women and girls after discovering her own ‘positive’ diagnosis-Meghna Amin-Entertainment – Metro

Christine McGuinness is set to front a new BBC documentary to bring awareness to autism in women and young girls, after the 34-year-old model and mum-of-three announced being diagnosed with the condition last year.

Christine and her husband Paddy McGuinness shared their story in a documentary, Our Family and Autism, which looked into their lives as parents to three autistic children: eight-year-old twins Leo and Penelope, and five-year-old Felicity.

Now, the Real Housewives of Cheshire star will be fronting another documentary, in an hour-long BBC special.

Sharing the project, Christine took to Instagram to announce Christine McGuinness: The Secret World of Autistic Women and Girls.

‘I am so excited to announce that I am filming a new documentary with @bbc,’ she penned.

‘My diagnosis was such a positive thing personally and a huge relief. Finally I understand myself and my own identity so much more now.

‘I am aware that I ‘mask’ a lot, I try to fit in, I copy others and this is something I really want people to understand as this behaviour is often found in autistic people but more so women and girls.

The mum-of-three was diagnosed with autism last year (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX)

‘The hour-long BBC documentary will unravel the untold story of how autism in women and girls has been ignored and misunderstood by science and society – often seen as something mostly affecting men.

‘I believe that my younger life could have been very different if I had been better understood during my school years.’

Paddy and Christine married in 2011 (Picture: David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock)

The model pointed out that around 1% of the UK population, which translates to an estimated 700,000 people are diagnosed with autism, ‘which means your brain works in a different way to other people’s, and can impact how you interact with the world.’

She concluded: ‘Thank you all so much for the love and support you have shown me and my family so far. I’m so excited and grateful for this opportunity.’

Paddy and Christine McGuinness have three children together (Picture: Instagram @christineMcGuinness)

Fans and friends rushed to the comments to share their support, with Love Island star Faye Winter writing: ‘Proud to know such an inspirational woman’.

In their documentary last year, Christine and Paddy visited schoolkids and young adults with autism to find out more about what the future could hold for their own children.

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The film begins with the couple recalling their first ever scan, discovering that there were two heartbeats, rather than one, showing on the ultrasound, and sharing that intimate moment with viewers, before taking them along their family’s journey.

Christine and Paddy also spend the film speaking to autistic children about their experiences, consulting with development experts, as well as dispelling dangerous myths surrounding links with autism and vaccines with leading scientists.

Paddy and Christine McGuinness: Our Family and Autism is available on BBC iPlayer.

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