KATIE HIND reveals inside story of Paddy McGuinness's divorce battle

When Paddy and Christine McGuinness made the decision to divorce, each instructed the best ‘his and hers’ lawyers money could buy.

Christine opted for ‘pitbull’ solicitor Catherine Bedford, who represented Ant McPartlin’s ex-wife Lisa Armstrong.

Meanwhile Paddy went for Emma Hatley, a family lawyer known for her work with ‘high net worth’ individuals – and her discretion.

One of the issues at the heart of their separation was Radio 2 presenter Paddy’s pride and joy: the £2.5million family home in Cheshire. The gated seven-bedroom mansion boasts a swimming pool, gym and a glass balcony, and Paddy was anxious not to give it up. Now that the divorce has been finalised, it can be revealed that they will both keep the property.

Sources close to the former couple say that Paddy argued he didn’t have the money to buy another property as big as the marital home.

And Christine – who discovered she was autistic and has ADHD in 2021 – wished to avoid uprooting their three children, ten-year-old twins, Leo and Penelope, and seven-year-old Felicity, all of whom have been diagnosed with autism as well.

The source told the Mail: ‘Paddy is very much the king of his castle when it comes to their house. There was no way he was going to move into a smaller property while she stayed in their big house. It means that they both still own the house and Paddy will have access to it at any time.

‘Paddy also knew that Christine would not want to cause their children upset by putting the house up for sale as they need routine and familiar surroundings because of their autism. Christine does have the option to force the sale of the house but she wanted to put her children’s needs first.’

I’m told that Christine’s friends are discussing ‘the ‘absolute nightmare’ the single mother now faces, not knowing when Paddy will stay there.

One said: ‘The current situation sounds dreadful. But the other solution would have been that the kids had to move out of the only home they’ve ever known.’

A source close to Paddy says: ‘Paddy will never say anything negative about Christine.

‘He has vowed to always protect and look after Christine and his three children, both emotionally and financially. Paddy’s relationship with his children will always be his number one priority. However, everybody knows how well Christine has done out of this divorce.’ Paddy, 51, and Christine, 36, announced their split in 2022 following months of rumours that their 11-year marriage was over.

Friends say she ‘found her new self’ after competing on ITV reality show The Games in 2022. It was, say those close to her, ‘what gave her the push she needed to realise she wasn’t happy in her marriage’.

During their separation they co-habited at the home, with Paddy spending time away for work as well as enjoying the odd date, including with TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher. But Paddy’s career began to struggle following the split. In September 2021 he had been announced as the new host of A Question Of Sport, replacing the much-loved Sue Barker. However, in December 2023, the show was axed after half a century on TV, following its lowest-ever ratings with Paddy at the helm.

His Top Gear career also came to an abrupt halt in December 2022 following Freddie Flintoff’s crash at the Dunsfold Aerodrome, which left the former cricketer with life-changing injuries. Last year it was confirmed the show will not be returning in the foreseeable future. Apparently to boost his PR coverage, Paddy has hired Amanda Abbington’s lawyer Persephone Bridgman Baker, who ‘specialises in media and reputation management’ according to her law firm Carter-Ruck.

However, many will wonder whether he ignored his solicitor’s advice when he made his much-anticipated return to the comedy circuit for the first time in eight years.

Just 63 seconds into his new show, named Nearly There, last week he took a brutal swipe at Christine, telling the crowd: ‘It’s all about love and respect tonight. Loads of love in this room. I don’t care what race you are, what religion, what your sexuality is. I don’t care how you identify. You can identify as a cat, for all I care. Put your litter tray in the corner, knock yourself out.

Read More

Christine McGuinness is 'devastated' after ex Paddy 'takes a swipe at her' minutes into new show

‘Tonight, folks, we’re all here as human beings with one common goal... and that’s to help me pay for my divorce. I’ve had the pants down, me, the pants down.’

The public nature of the comments are said to have left Christine ‘furious’ – especially as friends say he tried to make her sign a non-disclosure agreement as part of their settlement. He denies this.

I’m told Christine’s friends are ‘devastated’ since they don’t think she got a proper settlement from Paddy – who she had been dating since she was in her late teens. One said: ‘We all felt that Paddy was dragging out the divorce and was trying to delay it until next year. As far as we are concerned, he didn’t seem to be in a rush to get divorced and split their money because the situation suited him. She was in the home with the children and he would come and go as he pleased.

‘But, after everything that had happened, Christine just wanted to be free of him so she accepted one of the first deals on the table.’

It’s all a sorry end for the couple, who married in a star-studded ceremony at the lavish Thornton Manor near Cheshire back in 2011, with Paddy’s mentor Peter Kay in attendance.

But today, Christine’s friends hope she can draw a line under the marriage. One says: ‘We just hope that, even though there is a connection with Paddy through the house, Christine will finally find the happiness she deserves.’