Wednesday TV Tips: Paddy McGuinness on challenges for parents of children with autism
Lost in Space; Christine and Paddy McGuinness; and My Bungalow Bliss
RTÉ One, 8.30pm
Hugh Wallace presents four innovative architects, paired with four first-time bungalow homeowners, who are desperately seeking a solution to their dark, damp and dated homes. Niki and Davin in Galway have purchased a monster of a bungalow that is cold, dark and warren-like, having been extended carelessly multiple times over the decades by the previous owners. They want a bright, open plan home that is light, airy and with good air quality.
BBC One, 9pm
Paddy McGuinness and his wife, model Christine, welcomed twins Leo and Penelope; four years later, they were diagnosed with autism. When their youngest child Felicity, born in 2016, reached the same age, the couple discovered she too had the neurodevelopmental disorder.
Comedian Paddy, 48, says that one of the "toughest" experiences for parents of autistic children is waiting for a diagnosis: "One of the toughest things for parents is the wait for a diagnosis. At least then you can work out what triggers your kids."
"I don't want to go into too much detail about my kids, but Penelope, for example, 'masks' — she does her best to fit into her environment and not draw attention to herself. Christine and I are constantly on watch, making sure the kids stay calm and happy as much as possible. But in some areas of the UK, the wait for a diagnosis doesn't take weeks or months, but years. It needs to change. People need to be seen much faster."
Top Gear presenter McGuinness admitted he had not previously wanted to take part in "such a personal documentary" until lockdown happened and he began homeschooling his children.
"Our kids regressed and it made me think about families who might be in a similar, or worse, position to us," he said.
"I was struggling, so I thought if we did the documentary, other families might not feel so alone or isolated."
TG4, 10.30pm
After seeing his father assaulted by police officers, a young black man is driven to join the force, with hopes of changing racist attitudes from within. He soon finds himself facing both his father's disapproval and racism in the ranks.
Premier League: v , 7.30pm; v , 8.15pm, Premier Player
Third and final series of this revamp of the classic 1960s TV series about Judy, Penny, Will and the Robot. The kids have to help 97 other young colonists evacuate their current home — but not until after various life-changing revelations are made. And the greatest alien threat they've ever had to face looms large on the horizon...
, RTÉ 1, 7pm: Annemarie Ní Churreáin talks about her new poetry collection , a response to the abuses and
negligence of Church and State-run institutions.
