Christine McGuinness has revealed the real reason her love life is on hold – and it’s closer to home than fans might think. The 38-year-old reality star, who recently opened up about dating women, admitted she’s finding it tricky to start a new relationship while still living under the same roof as her ex-husband Paddy McGuinness.
“The only gender I am open to dating is female,” Christine explained. But despite feeling emotionally ready, she admits life isn’t simple: “Can I be in a relationship when I’m still living with my ex-husband? So I can’t offer that yet. But I would love to be able to call somebody my wife one day, and be in a really solid, loving, lesbian relationship.”
Sources say the biggest hurdle is privacy. Sharing the £6.5million Cheshire family home with Paddy and their three young children makes dating a challenge. “Christine feels torn because she’s got to stay at the house, but she also wants her independence,” the insider revealed. “She loves staying in hotels, because she can do what she wants, without prying eyes.”
Christine, a self-described “free spirit,” first dated girls as a teen and says she’s always followed her heart: “My experiences with women have been lovely, and it’s simply that the connection for me is different.”
Even as she navigates dating hurdles, Christine prioritises her children and family. After an 11-year marriage with Paddy and three children – twins Leo and Penelope, 12, and Felicity, 9 – the pair maintain a cooperative co-parenting relationship. Christine says: “I love my home and being there for my children… I’ve realised I’ve never really had my own safe space or my own privacy. It’s something I feel I am missing.”
For now, Christine is enjoying dipping her toes into romance when she can, taking her time, and ensuring the next relationship is right.
“She’s seeing a few people, she’s having fun, and she’s not putting all her eggs in one basket,” a source adds. “She wants the next relationship to be right.”
