Paddy McGuinness ‘missed children’s birthday to film Celebrity Bakeoff’

Paddy McGuinness reportedly missed his children’s birthday in order to film Celebrity Bake Off amid his split from wife Christine after 11 years of marriage. 

The Top Gear presenter, 49, travelled from his home in Cheshire to Essex in order to appear in the show, leaving his former spouse to host twin’s Leo and Penelope’s 9th birthday party.

A source told The Sun: He missed the twins’ birthday but Christine made sure they had a day they’d never forget’.

The children enjoyed a party in their back garden alongside a group of pals. 

They went on to tell the publication that Paddy, who also shares daughter Felicity, six, with his wife, kept his personal problems secret from his fellow celebs on the show.

‘He and Christine had already split up and were living separate lives but no one on the set was any the wiser.

‘Paddy was still his usual jolly self despite what was going on in his personal life’.

MailOnline have contacted representatives for Paddy for comment.  

Christine along with her children have been diagnosed with autism and in December last year, the BBC aired a documentary featuring the McGuinness clan called Our Family and Autism, Paddy and Christine.

During the show, the couple spoke to autistic children about their experiences and consulted with development experts about their brood.

They also dispelled the dangerous myths surrounding links with autism and vaccines with leading scientists, before the show followed Christine on her own journey to discovering she too is autistic.

The couple were both spotted wearing their wedding rings last week following their split. 

While Christine swapped hers onto her right hand, Paddy opted to continue wearing his on the traditional left, over a heart tattoo he had as a symbol of commitment to Christine, during happier times.

Speaking previously about his romantic art work, Christine said: ‘My wonderful husband Paddy McGuinness lost his wedding ring… again… on our family holiday about two months ago.

‘He still hasn’t replaced it but today he is forgiven because he’s wearing a T-shirt with my picture on. #Over12years #StillStrong #HeHasItTattooedAnyway!’ 

It comes after Paddy revealed he’d been forced to ditch the plans he had to celebrate his own birthday with his children.

Taking to Instagram on Friday, the shirtless host  made the admission in a bizarre shower video of himself amid droughts in the UK.

Paddy then covered his dry body in shower gel without turning the water on, and began revealing the wholesome family plans he had for his birthday celebrations.

‘I tell you what, this sun is gorgeous. Yeah, it’s red hot but I’m enjoying it. It’s my birthday this weekend, August 14th.

‘I thought I’d get in the garden with the kids, fill the paddling pool up and whack on the barbie, but obviously all that’s out of the window now.

The couple reportedly split after Christine was said to have found Instagram messages between her husband and a female BBC presenter.

Paddy, who made his name on the dating show Take Me Out, is understood to have exchanged a series of messages with another woman in March, shortly before he and Christine decided to live separate lives.

While there is no suggestion that the messages went beyond friendship, informed sources said that Christine was upset after finding them on his phone.

One friend said: ‘Paddy had been messaging the woman for some time. They were direct messages and were quite friendly. It’s unclear how they met but they followed one another for a while.

‘There have been various issues between him and Christine, but this was definitely one of the driving forces that began to make them assess their future as a married couple.

Speaking to The Sun On Sunday this month, Christine hinted at serious strains in the marriage, adding: ‘I don’t want to go into it too much, but I will just say that I didn’t cause this situation.

‘You’ve got to expect it when you’ve been together for so long. Everyone grows and changes, and we’ve grown as a family, which is amazing. That family bond will always be there, no matter what.

‘But I was a teenager when I met him and I’m a 34-year-old woman now, so I suppose what I might have put up with in the past, I probably wouldn’t put up with now – and the same for him.’