Christine McGuinness makes emotional return to Celebs Go Dating with update - 'I feel free'

Christine McGuiness made a shock return to Celebs Go Datingtonight just weeks after making her shock departure from the show.

The dramatic series came to an end tonight, with the celebrities heading to the final gala. Olivia Hawkins, Donna Preston and Sam Prince all chose to come alone, while Mark Labbett, Louis Russell, Kerry Katona and Jon Lee had plus ones to accompany them.

One face they weren't expecting to see however, was Christine McGuinness. The mum of three joined the agency at the start of the series, but while in Ibiza, decided the timing wasn't right for her.She told the agents she felt dating on a public platform was too soon, and wanted to date more privately.

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The agents said the door was always open for the model to return, and she did just that at tonight's gala.

The celebrities burst into cheers as she made her entrance, as she spoke about what she'd been up to since leaving.

Revealing that she felt the world had lifted off her shoulders, the 37-year-old said: "I didn't realise how heavy it was for me. Being away from home, just thinking about the kids constantly.

"The outside noise around my love life, the attention was just too much. All I cared about was my children. So I went home, I had a minute to take everything in. I spoke to the kids, and it's fine," she continued.

"Since then, honestly, it's been like a switch. I've carried on with life, I feel completely free."

S Club star Jon Lee then gushed over how lovely it was to see Christine telling the cameras she "seems in a much better place."

During her time on the show,Christine opened up about her split from ex-husband Paddy McGuiness publicly for the first time since splitting in 2021.

Emotionally opening up to the agents, the star said the "trust was broken" with Paddy and spoke about carrying feelings of it being 'her fault' after being the one to call it quits.

"Anyone can make mistakes but I think the trust was broken," she explained. "I'll always love him, he's the father of my children and I think he's the only man that I'll ever love.

"A lot of people make mistakes and mess up, and when you're in a couple who is quite well known in the industry, obviously then everyone knows your business. He was getting a really, really difficult time in the press," she continued - although she didn't expand on the 'mistakes'.

Speaking about their relationship to the cameras, Christine said: "We had an amazing 15 years, we really did. The last couple of years, things just weren’t quite the same. I think once the respect isn’t quite there anymore, it’s time to leave."

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