TV star Christine McGinness reveals she’s been dating women since her teens and doesn’t believe in labels when it comes to love.

Christine McGuinness has shared deeply personal details about her sexuality, revealing that she has dated women since her teenage years and describing herself as a “free spirit” when it comes to relationships.

The 37-year-old television personality, who was married to Top Gear host Paddy McGuinness for over a decade, opened up during an interview on the How To Fail podcast, hosted by Elizabeth Day. Christine, a mum of three, explained that her sexuality has never been a secret, not to her family nor to her ex-husband, and said she’s always believed that love transcends gender.

“It shouldn’t matter somebody’s gender,” she said. “It never mattered to me. Once me and my ex-husband were separated and I met people, I didn’t properly date—it was more like blurred lines of friendships. That felt normal to me.”

Christine, who split from Paddy in 2022 after 11 years of marriage, said she felt comfortable exploring relationships with both men and women because she’d done so from a young age. “As a teenager, I dated both men and women. My ex-husband knew. My family knew. It was never a secret for me.”

She revealed that her first romantic experiences with both boys and girls came at around the age of 14 or 15 and that the notion of labelling her sexuality didn’t fit with her identity. “I’ve always been quite a free spirit. That’s the only word I would put on it.”

Christine went on to explain that, over the years, many people had asked if she was a lesbian, bisexual, or going through a phase—but she said she never felt the need to define herself. “I’ve thought about it. A lot of people always ask me… Are you what? Is this a phase? But I think that’s just who I am. I need connection. I need something different now.”

She also disclosed that before meeting Paddy, her longest romantic relationship was with a woman and lasted two years. “I’ve had really, really lovely long situationships where we purposely haven’t put a label on anything,” she added.

Christine insisted that her relationships with women had been just as meaningful as any with men. “It’s not like women are better or worse. It’s simply that the connection for me is different.”

The reality TV star, who recently stepped down from the dating series Celebs Go Dating, had previously been open to dating both men and women on the show. Her openness about her fluid sexuality comes as part of a wider public conversation about identity and love that doesn’t conform to traditional norms.

Christine’s candour about her journey has been met with praise from fans who commend her honesty and confidence. Her appearance at the 2025 BAFTA Television Awards earlier this year saw her walking the red carpet solo, a move many now see as symbolic of her embracing her autonomy and authentic self.Despite stepping away from Celebs Go Dating, Christine continues to inspire others with her refusal to conform to expectation. “I’ve always just gone with what feels right,” she said. “That’s never changed