Model Christine McGuinness diagnosed by Simon Baron-Cohen

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Christine McGuinness has been diagnosed with autism.

The 33-year-old model - who has twins Leo and Penelope, eight, and daughter Felicity, five, with husband Paddy McGuinness - admitted it is a "relief" to have been told as an adult that she has the developmental condition, but it wasn't something that surprised her as there have always been "little hints".

Christine revealed her diagnosis - which is shared by all three of her children - in her memoir ‘Christine McGuinness: A Beautiful Nightmare'.

In an extract obtained by the Daily Mirror newspaper, she wrote: “I have been confirmed as autistic. It’s strange, but I’ve noticed there are little hints throughout my life that I’m autistic and more like my children than I ever could have imagined.

"My issues with food, my social ­struggles, how hard I find it to make friends and stay focused, and my indecisiveness. The way I float through life reminds me of how my eldest daughter Penelope is.

"It all makes sense now. And as much as I’m not totally surprised, it’s still been emotional for me to accept, but it’s a relief as well.”

She wrote: “My diagnosis came in August. Patrick and I were invited to meet with expert Sir Simon Baron-Cohen at Cambridge University.

“Patrick and I filled out what’s called an AQ questionnaire.

She went to say that her score of 36 was “high” while Paddy’s was “bang-on average”.

“Those two weeks between finding out I’d scored high on the test and my official ­diagnosis from Simon were a turbulent ­whirlwind of upset and trying to process the idea I could be autistic. Sir Simon quickly put me out of my misery and confirmed I’m autistic. And not just mildly – I’m quite high up the spectrum.”

Christine called it “a lot to take in” and “broke down in floods of tears” after hearing the news, after it prompted memories about struggling at school - leaving with no GCSEs - because of her “inability to concentrate”.

And she outlined that she was “trying to see my diagnosis as a positive thing - at least I know for definite.”

Christine McGuinness has announced a new BBC documentary on autism after diagnosis. The model shares three children with Paddy McGuinness all of whom have also been diagnosed with autism.

The 34-year-old, from Blackpool, says her own autism diagnosis was a 'huge relief' as it helped her to understand her own identity so much more. She admits that she 'masks' it quite a lot and tries to 'hit in'.

To do this, she often copies other people and she wants to raise awareness that this behaviour is often found in autistic people - but more so in women and girls. Her new BBC documentary, Christine McGuinness: The Secret World of Autistic Women and Girls, will focus on this.

"I am aware that I ‘mask’ a lot, I try to fit in, I copy others and this is something I really want people to understand as this behaviour is often found in autistic people but more so women and girls. The hour-long BBC documentary will unravel the untold story of how autism in women and girls has been ignored and misunderstood by science and society - often seen as something mostly affecting men.“