Close associates of Christine McGuinness have issued a warning to Emma Carey, the new girlfriend of her ex-husband, television presenter Paddy McGuinness. Sources close to Christine are advising Carey, a publicist for BBC Radio 2, about the television star's priorities, suggesting that his career will always come first.
Carey and McGuinness were recently photographed together at the Rosewood Hotel in London, marking their first public appearance as a couple. The pair later departed for a nearby hotel, appearing comfortable in each other's company.
Friends of Christine McGuinness expressed concern about the new relationship, with one source telling the Daily Mail that Carey should anticipate playing "second fiddle" to McGuinness's career. "Paddy only ever does what Paddy wants to do. His career comes first," the source stated. The source also noted that while the initial phase of the relationship might be filled with lavish outings, this attention may not last. "He can only keep it up for so long." When the "sparkle fades, Christine's camp warns that ‘Paddy is all about Paddy’."
According to the source, McGuinness is decisive about his activities and schedule, which are dictated by his work. "He is the star and like Christine was in the beginning, Emma isn’t famous, although through her job she will have some understanding of his world. But it will be Paddy who makes all the decisions about where they go and what they do. He acts like he’s quite laid back but the reality is he isn’t. And of course it will have to fit around his work and his schedule. He’s always been like that. His work and his career comes first. Even when he had the kids that never changed."
McGuinness, 52, began working at BBC Radio 2 in 2024, taking over a Sunday slot previously hosted by Michael Ball. Carey, in her mid-30s, joined the BBC as a publicity lead for the station last summer. She previously worked at RTÉ in Ireland and Sony Music before returning to the UK.
Paddy and Christine McGuinness announced their separation in 2022 after 11 years of marriage. The couple share three children: twins Penelope and Leo, 11, and Felicity, eight, all of whom have autism. Despite the divorce, they continue to cohabit at their family home in Cheshire for the sake of their children.
Christine McGuinness has previously spoken about the couple's approach to introducing new partners to their children, stating that it would take a significant amount of time. "This is the family home, and then Paddy and I have our lives outside," she told the Daily Mail last week. "But we never did have many visitors to the house, even when we were married. We don’t introduce the children to just anybody. So certainly when it comes to dating, anything like that is going to take a very, very long time, like years, years and years."