Paddy McGuinness has urged fellow parents raising children with autism not to give up hope after he “finally conquered a family holiday”.
The Take Me Out host posted a picture on Instagram of a car packed up with blankets and pillows for a break, revealing that he and his wife Christine had managed two days away with their four-year-old twins Leo and Penelope, who have autism.
He said: “Being parents with autistic children, for us, family holidays have been a pipe dream until now!
“After 4 and a half years we’ve finally conquered a family holiday…to Preston!!! Ribby Hall Village to be exact.
“We managed two days there, which for us was massive.
“We had to take so much stuff but to see our kids having fun was well worth it.
“We had our own little bungalow/chalet which was great.”
The TV star, 44, continued: “If you’re a parent dealing with autism on a daily basis please don’t give up hope on things like holidays.
“It was a hell of a long time getting there but we did it.”
McGuinness joked that all he now needed was to “sleep for a week”.
Model Christine shared a photograph of the couple on Instagram and wrote: “We did it!!! @mcguinness.paddy our first ever night away WITH the children!
“They coped so well with the change, very proud parents today #autismawareness.
“Now we just need our first night away without the children.”
Christine revealed in July last year that the couple’s twins had the condition.
In a touching Instagram post to mark their fourth birthday, she said they were “totally unique and fantastically awesome”.
The couple are also parents to daughter Felicity, who was born in 2016.