Take Me Out host Paddy McGuinness has slammed an “ignorant tool” who confronted him when he parked in a disability space and told the comedian his family “doesn’t look disabled”.
The funnyman was left fuming after the incident, which happened as he was dropping his children at a play centre.
Paddy, 46, has six-year-old twins Penelope and Leo, who have autism, and Felicity, three, with his wife Christine, 31.
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On Twitter, the Top Gear star told his fans: “Just had a deep breathe and walk away moment. Dropped my little ones off at a play centre. Parked in a disability space while they got out.
The ignorance and sheer pomposity of telling someone they don’t look disabled.
“Had all our relevant disability badges on display only for some [bleep] to come over and tell us that we don’t look disabled? #ignorance.
“I took a deep breath and sent my children in. Luckily they didn’t understand what was going on. Once they’d happily gone in, I approached this ignorant tool.”
1. Just had a deep breathe and walk away moment. Dropped my little ones off at a play centre. Parked in a disability space while they got out. Had all our relevant disability badges on display only for some bell end to come over and tell us that we don’t look disabled? #ignorance
— Paddy McGuinness (@PaddyMcGuinness) November 3, 2019
2. I took a deep breathe and sent my children in. Luckily they didn’t understand what was going on? Once they’d happily gone in I approached this ignorant tool. All I wanted to do was bounce him off every car but there would only be one loser in that, me! #ignorance
— Paddy McGuinness (@PaddyMcGuinness) November 3, 2019
3. Instead I tried to explain to him that not all disabilities are the same? The ignorance and sheer pomposity of telling someone they don’t look disabled really makes my blood boil! How does someone have to look to have a disability? #ignorance
— Paddy McGuinness (@PaddyMcGuinness) November 3, 2019
He continued: “All I wanted to do was bounce him off every car but there would only be one loser in that, me!
“Instead, I tried to explain to him that not all disabilities are the same. The ignorance and sheer pomposity of telling someone they don’t look disabled really makes my blood boil! How does someone have to look to have a disability?”
4. This sad individual was also parked in a disability bay? He was able bodied but it would never cross my mind to ask him what his disability was as he could clearly walk? Unless you get a blue badge for being an ignorant prick? He was clearly qualified! #ignorance
— Paddy McGuinness (@PaddyMcGuinness) November 3, 2019
5. A few years back it would’ve been a different outcome for him, and me. He’d be on his arse and putting a call in to the tabloids. I would’ve been vilified and labelled a thug. My wife and children would’ve been upset and I’d more than likely be out of a job. #ignorance
— Paddy McGuinness (@PaddyMcGuinness) November 3, 2019
6. I’m so glad I took that deep breathe and handled the situation calmly. I feel better for it and hopefully that ignorant person might think twice next time or indeed learn that all disabilities are different. #ignorance
— Paddy McGuinness (@PaddyMcGuinness) November 3, 2019
7. If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, stay calm, take the deep breathe and educate the ignorant. You’ll feel better and you’ll still have a job to pay your mortgage and look after your family. PM 👍🏼 #ignorance #autismawareness #hypermobility
— Paddy McGuinness ❤️ (@PaddyMcGuinness) November 3, 2019
Writing further, Paddy said the “sad individual” was likewise parked in a disability bay and appeared “able bodied”, but he would never have thought to question whether or not he was actually disabled.
The presenter went on to say that, had the confrontation taken place a few years ago, it would have had “a different outcome”, as the man would have been “on his [bleep] and “putting a call in to the tabloids”.
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Paddy also said he is “so glad” he was able to take a deep breath and handle the situation “calmly”.
He concluded by urging his followers to “stay calm” and do the same if they ever find themselves in the same situation.
Paddy’s wife Christine posted about the incident on her own Instagram, telling her followers: “I fully understand that not everyone can ‘see’ autism, but surely we can all be polite.”
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