Former MMA fighter/Celebrity Big Brother winner comes out

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The former MMA fighter says he's always felt different - and has been treated badly because of it - his entire life.

Now that he's been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome at the age of 45, he says things make a lot more sense to him.

And he says that while he's always felt tough and able to deal with whatever has been thrown his way, inside him there's a little boy who's crying.

"It's a relief in many ways but it's a bit unnerving because it's coming to terms with new things, but it also explains so much," he said.

Alex discovered he had Asperger's by chance after an encounter with a family with an autistic child.

He was walking through a park with Nikki one day when a young boy was running towards him and accidentally tripped him up.

Alex fell onto his knees to avoid hurting the child and got chatting with the parents.

He ended up befriending the family, who have a few relatives with austism, and even raised money to help them buy a support dog.

And the more he spent time with them, the more they began to notice some similarities.

"I've always thought of autism being like Rain Man and thought that wasn't me, but understanding it more now it makes so much sense.

My friends, the Boyce family, suggested I had an autism test and I came up significantly autistic."

Alex's diagnosis has helped him understand his reactions to certain things, and how he hides beneath a 'mask' to cope when he feels bullied.

Alex often feels like things he says in interviews are "misconstrued", and he feels like his autism is helping him understand why.

"It's not like I haven't got a filter, it's innocence and naivety more than anything," he explained.

"I have to learn in social situations how to shut up sometimes.

"My problem in the celebrity world is I've overshared and I've started to realise why.

"I've realises that you don't need to overshare as I've got older, and I've suffered enough pain and torment.

I believe he got famous from his relationship with ex glamour model and celeb Katie Price a decade or so ago, who coincidentally is the mother of a severely autistic adult called Harvey.

I saw him on tv giving interviews a few times, he never appeared to have any visible communication issues that plague most of us.

The article claims he “scored highly” when he took an “autism test” but doesn’t give details, then claims that means “he was diagnosed” .

I have my doubts he’s autistic, or even diagnosed.

I think Kate would laugh and doubt too.

unfortunately may be a simple case of a celeb jumping onto a label to explain their life problems.

There’s been plenty of those.

Certainly, some autistic people can keep it together for interviews. Most TV interviews last a few minutes, some maybe an hour. I have passed a few job interviews in my life.

How do you prove somebody is autistic? Ask them to produce their diagnostic report, which can be forged? What that would prove is that a qualified professional made a subjective judgment that said person is autistic.

I am against celebrity diagnosing of people like Bill Gates based on observed traits. It would be hypocritical of me to undiagnose a person based on observed traits. While being aware the autistic wannabe thing exists unless the celeb admits it like Moby, or there is a bunch of red flags Iike with Dan Ackroyd I go by the innocent until proven guilty motto.