logo
episode-header-image
Sep 15
48m 23s

Paddy McGuinness: “I was drowning and ne...

Fearne Cotton
About this episode

Men are starting to open up. Presenter and comedian Paddy McGuinness used to work on building sites where vulnerability would have been seen as a weakness, but he’s seen things changing...


In this chat with Fearne, Paddy talks about his own clinical depression, and what he’s learnt from therapy about keeping his mental health in check. He explains that understanding why you’re reacting a certain way will give you the power to change your behaviour.


Paddy’s three children all have autism, and he’s frank about how he felt when he first got the news. He talks through the common misconceptions, and what he wishes more people understood about the realities of raising autistic children.


If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:


Kate Silverton


Lucinda Miller


Mo Gilligan


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Nov 17
Spencer Matthews: "I lack empathy!" Managing addiction and victim mentality
<p>What limiting beliefs do you hold about yourself? Spencer Matthews has embraced his sense of adventure in order to explore his full potential.</p><br><p>In this chat with Fearne, Spencer gets into the shame he felt while he was drinking, why he’s now channelling his addictive ... Show More
52m 37s
Nov 13
Book Club Meets: “I’m a love and sex addict!” Elizabeth Gilbert copes with co-dependency and grief
You might know Elizabeth Gilbert as the author of Eat Pray Love; now, she’s written All The Way To The River, charting her electric, heart-breaking relationship with her partner Rayya, who died in 2018.In this Book Club chat, Fearne explains that she chose this to be part of the ... Show More
55m 14s
Nov 10
Malala Yousafzai: Should I get married? How to fall in love as a feminist
Malala Yousafzai was shot by Taliban gunmen when she was 15. She then became the youngest ever recipient of the Novel Peace Prize, but since then she’s been desperate to discover who she really is underneath the weight of the world’s expectations.In this chat with Fearne, Malala ... Show More
1h 1m
Recommended Episodes
Aug 9
Interview with David Devine (Discussing late diagnosis, the double empathy problem, autistic culture & more)
Join hosts Simeon Thompson and Dr Sophia Christophi as they welcome David Devine, a lead Oliver McGowan trainer at DynamicTraining.org.uk. In this powerful and thought-provoking episode, David shares his journey to a late autism diagnosis and dives deep into the core concepts of ... Show More
1h 6m
Nov 2024
What if I'm autistic? | Supporting the neurodivergent in our lives
Tom always thought he was autistic but was never diagnosed, until he sought out a definitive answer. Turns out he was right. How will his life change as a result?  This is the final episode of The Briefing's five-part series on neurodiversity, Sacha Barbour Gatt sits down with To ... Show More
10m 42s
Oct 2024
"I wouldn't change him for anything!" - An ADHD parent & autistic son's journey
Dan Harris and his non-speaking son, The Joshie Man, share their inspiring journey, full of heart warming insight. Dan is the founder of the charity, Neurodiversity in Business, advocating for the rights of neurodivergent folk to access neuroinclusive workplaces. You can find o ... Show More
42m 17s
Nov 2018
The Autism Podcast - Episode 2 - Interview with Dr Carrie Grant (on the topic of SEN, mental health, stigma and social change)
In Episode 2, Chris and Emma interview Dr Carrie Grant! Carrie is perhaps best known for television, music and radio work but also happens to be a tremendous autism advocate and campaigner, and a parent of autistic children too. Carrie tells us her story and her views on the soci ... Show More
1h 23m
Apr 2021
Interview with Alan Morrison (on the topic of education and schooling for neurodivergent people, and the power of validation, diversity and kindness)
In Season 2, episode 17 of The Autism Podcast, James Gordon and Chris Papadopoulos interview Alan Morrison, an autistic man with rich insight and experience of the challenges and problems of the schooling and educational system for neurodivergent people. Alan talks about his chil ... Show More
1h 13m
Jun 2025
The "deep whys" behind autistic behaviors | with Barry Prizant
I talk to Barry Prizant, author of the popular book "Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism," about the often misunderstood world of autism. We explore the idea that many so-called “autistic behaviors” are actually meaningful responses to stress, overwhelm, or attempts ... Show More
1h 10m
Jan 2020
Episode 2 - Guest Paul McGregor on shifting the stigma around Mental Health & Grief
In this episode Alice is joined by Paul McGregor who is a Mental Health Speaker, Advocate & Author - he talks with Alice in this interview about Mental Health and the stigma around it, grief, the struggles with both, as well as his own journey with spirituality following the loss ... Show More
41m 26s
Oct 2024
The #1 Reason Men Are Silently Struggling With Mental Health with Samir Mourani
<p>In this powerful episode, Scott and Jess are joined by Samir Mourani to have an open and vulnerable conversation about men's mental health. They discuss their personal experiences with anxiety, depression, and emotional breakdowns, sharing how they've worked to overcome societ ... Show More
1h 3m
Jan 2022
Episode 573: Advocating For Men and Mental Health with Mikkel Sibe
Mikkel Sibe has written multiple articles about men and mental health and works to create more openness about the topics of men and mental health. This is a topic that needs to be addressed within the world of therapy and mental health and I'm happy that someone like Mikkel is ou ... Show More
24m 49s
Nov 2024
What if I'm autistic? | Tom's diagnosis
Tom always suspected he was autistic, but had never been formally diagnosed. Now he knows the answer. In this five-part special series of The Briefing, we team up with Autism Awareness Australia and Sydney University's Brain and Mind Centre to walk alongside Thomas as he discover ... Show More
9m 30s