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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Mia O'Hare

Christine McGuinness shares 'nerves and anxiety' as she shows love for Helen Flanagan

Christine McGuinness has candidly shared the "nerves, anxiety, and sensory overload" she experienced whilst presenting in front of her celeb pals, including Helen Flanagan.

The model, 35, opened up about the difficulties of her autism diagnosis after she hosted at the Pride of Manchester Awards.

In an effort to overcome some of the challenges she has been facing, Christine proudly presented an award to Peter Garsden at the event.

Afterwards, she revealed to her fans what it had meant to her to take on the task.

She said: "It's always an honour to present an award but wow, my nerves, anxiety, and sensory overload spins my head.

Christine shared her love for pal Helen (Instagram)
Christine candidly opened up about her nerves at the award show (MCPIX/REX/Shutterstock)

"I gave an award out to this amazing man called Peter. I'm not comfortable on stage, I'm a nervous wreck, but I had to give this award because he is just amazing.

"But I found a little clip, and I am on and off. I give the award out and run off the stage."

She added: "I've seen loads of people I love, which is just amazing. I caught up with Colson, who I done The Games with. I seen Teddy who I done the real Full Monty with. I saw Helen Flanagan, I love her.

"Jenny Powell, I bumped into her in Ibiza last week, and I saw her again last night. It's kind of like having friends you don't need to stay in touch with so it's great for me.

"But I'm tired now, and I'm done with communicating, so I'm looking forward to a nice, gorgeous quiet night. I can' t wait."

Before discovering she has autism, Christine used to leave star-studded events in floods of tears.

The TV personality, whose three children with ex Paddy McGuinness also have autism, confessed she still overthinks things and gets overwhelmed at times, but credits her small group of friends for allowing her to be her "most authentic self."

Speaking backstage at the Pride of Manchester Awards on Wednesday, the former Real Housewives of Cheshire star admitted to the Mirror she was incredibly nervous before presenting an award on stage.

She admitted she used to leave events in tears before her autism diagnosis (MCPIX/REX/Shutterstock)
Coronation Street's Helen Flanagan is pals with Christine (MCPIX/REX/Shutterstock)

"For me, being in that busy room tonight, people will think 'oh she's fine' but in reality I was flapping - I didn't want to get on the stage. Everything was too much. It was Peter's story that made me get up there," she revealed.

"I'm learning myself, I never realised I had so many meltdowns and needed time out and didn't understand before my diagnosis. Now, I plan ahead with events like this."

She added: "I usually arrive late, and it's not me being rude - it's because the rush coming through and everyone gathering before heading in [can be overwhelming].

"Then I tend to dip in and out of the room and go to the toilet if I find it too much. In the past I'd just try to fit in with everyone else and it would result in me up all night in tears and overthinking.

"Now, I understand and can plan ahead."

Christine had been helping honour Peter Garsden with a Special Recognition award, thanks to his pioneering work as a lawyer and devoting his life and career to winning justice for victims of child sexual abuse for nearly 30 years.

She discovered she had been living with undiagnosed autism in 2021, when filming a documentary connected to her three young children and their diagnosis.

Christine admits the diagnosis was life-changing as it enabled her to approach things in a different way now she knows she has been masking for years.

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