Paul Scholes reveals why son’s autism routines ended his TV career

The structure matters more than you’d think. “He doesn’t know what day of the week it is or time. But he’ll know from what we’re doing what day it is,” Scholes explained in the video. “He’ll be 21 in December.”

Aiden was diagnosed with severe autism at two and a half. “When I say he can’t speak, I think he understands a lot more than we think,” Scholes said. “He has sounds, but it’s only people that are close to him that will know what he’s saying.”

Any disruption to these routines creates immediate problems. Scholes described what happened when he used to work Thursday Europa League nights. “Last season on Thursday nights I’d do the Europa League for Man United, that’s the night I’d usually have him, so he was getting all agitated, biting and scratching. He knows the pattern’s not there straight away.”

Why Scholes Had to Step Away

Last season, Scholes covered matches for TNT Sports, including United’s Europa League campaign. But the demands of the job didn’t fit with Aiden’s needs. Travel to studios meant missed routines, and that wasn’t sustainable.

Scholes and his ex-wife Claire share custody. “Me and Claire obviously not together anymore. So, we’re having three nights each and Claire’s mom has him on a Friday night,” he explained on the podcast. The system only works if everyone sticks to the plan.

That’s why the chance to launch “The Good, The Bad & The Football” podcast with Nicky Butt and Paddy McGuinness made sense. “I had the chance to do the podcast and I thought that would suit me more, well, not me, Aiden,” Scholes said, correcting himself in the video.

He told TalkSport that he’ll still do some studio work, but only when it fits. “I do studio work, but everything is built around his day,” he said. The days of regular live broadcasts are over.

Sharing the Reality

Scholes has shared glimpses of life with Aiden on social media, and the response has been overwhelming. When asked why he does it, he said: “I did it one or two times and I only showed a good bit of it. There’s some that aren’t great and it was just the response he had from people, you know, parents with the same trouble. The amount of people saying, ‘God, that helps us. We’ve got a kid who’s just the same or something like that.’ So, that’s why I just carry on doing it.”

He’s clear about what he doesn’t want. “I don’t want any sympathy or anything. Do you know what I mean?” he told the podcast hosts. But he does worry about the future. “The big concern obviously now because you’re getting a bit older. 50 years of age. He’s 20. What happens when you’re not here? That’s the thing that’s on my mind now all the time.”

The early years were brutal. Scholes showed up to training at Carrington with visible marks. “I used to sit next to you in the dressing room,” Gary Neville said on the podcast, “and I remember there were times towards the end you’d come in and you’d have scratches all over your face.” Scholes confirmed it was simply Aiden’s frustration at not being able to communicate.

Then there was the toothache story that stops you cold. Aiden kept touching his mouth for months. “He kept like just feeling his mouth like that and not sleeping and what’s wrong with him? No idea what’s wrong with him,” Scholes recalled. “He can’t tell you what’s wrong. He can’t tell you if he’s got any pain anywhere and he won’t go to a dentist.”

When they finally got him to a special needs dentist, the damage was worse than anyone thought. “We thought there were only two fillings and we just said to him, ‘Do everything.’ Yeah. Everything you find, do it,” Scholes said in the video. “He ended up having seven teeth out.”

Looking Ahead

For Scholes, stepping back was the only option. Punditry is just a job, it can’t come before Aiden’s needs, and after years of trying to balance both, he made the call.

It’s not all hardship either. When Gary Neville asked about relief from the challenges, Scholes was quick to push back. “Don’t get me wrong, it can be so happy. It’s untrue and give you great pleasure and joy there,” he said. “It’s not all bad. Do you know what I mean?”

The podcast gives him the flexibility he needs, his role at Salford City keeps him involved in football, and most importantly, Aiden gets the consistency that helps him feel secure. “Everything I’m going to do now, it just works around him,” Scholes said simply.

Scholes may still appear on screen from time to time, but his main focus is now firmly at home. Given everything he’s managing, it’s a decision that makes perfect sense.