Key Highlights
- Paul Scholes has stepped back from television punditry to care for his non-verbal autistic son Aiden.
- Scholes confirms he is separated from wife Claire after years of silence.
- Aiden was diagnosed with severe autism at the age of two-and-a-half.
- The former Manchester United player focuses on building a strict daily routine for his son.
Paul Scholes Steps Back to Care for Autistic Son Aiden
Former Manchester United and England legend Paul Scholes has made the decision to step away from television punditry work, focusing instead on caring for his non-verbal autistic son, Aiden. This move comes as Scholes confirms he is separated from his wife Claire after years of silence.
Scholes’ Decision to Step Away
In an emotional interview, Scholes shared that his primary motivation was to care for Aiden, who turned 20 in December 2025. “All the work I do now is just around his routines,” Scholes explained. He detailed how Aiden’s strict daily schedule helps maintain order and consistency.
Building Routines Around His Son
Scholes described the challenges of managing a non-verbal autistic son. “He has quite a strict routine every single day, so I just decided everything I’m going to do, it is around Aiden,” he said. The former midfielder explained how they establish daily patterns: “We always do the same things with him as 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.” For instance, Scholes picks up Aiden every Tuesday for swimming and then heads home to get his pizza.
On Thursdays, they go out for a meal before returning home. On Sundays, Aiden joins Scholes at his mother’s house where he gets his favorite treat: chocolate from the local Tesco store. “Sunday is when I pick him up from Claire’s and we go to Tesco,” Scholes stated, highlighting that his son buys himself an entire trolley of chocolate.
Diagnosis and Early Challenges
Scholes revealed that Aiden was diagnosed with severe autism at the age of two-and-a-half. “When I say he can’t speak, I think he understands a lot more than we think,” Scholes shared, adding, “He has sounds, but it’s only people that are close to him that will know what he’s saying.” The former player explained how this diagnosis was both challenging and rewarding: “I never got a break from it, even when playing. It was very hard in those days, feels like it was years ago.”
Separation from Wife Claire
In addition to his decision to step away from television punditry, Scholes also shared that he has separated from his wife of 26 years, Claire Froggatt. The couple has three children together and now share Aiden’s care on a rotating basis. “We always do the same things with him as he doesn’t know what day of the week it is or time,” Scholes said. “But he’ll know from what we’re doing what day it is.” Each parent takes turns spending 3 nights per week with their son, and Froggatt’s mother cares for Aiden on Fridays.
Impact on His Professional Career
The move has impacted Scholes’ professional life as well. He previously was a regular fixture pitchside on punditry duty for television but now focuses on podcasting with former team-mate Nicky Butt under the name “The Good, The Bad & The Football.” “I do studio work, but everything is built around his day,” Scholes confirmed.
The player shared that Aiden’s diagnosis was challenging in the early days, particularly when he would often turn up for training at Carrington with bite marks or scratch marks from the frustration of not being understood. He added, “I don’t think (doctors) diagnosed it until they were two-and-a-half years old.
But you knew early something was wrong but then you get the diagnosis, and I’d never heard of it.”
Despite these challenges, Scholes remains committed to his son’s wellbeing and happiness. He stated, “Don’t get me wrong, he can be so happy it’s untrue, and it gives you great pleasure and joy, it’s not all bad.” The player also acknowledged the importance of sharing their experiences on social media to help other families going through similar situations.
While Scholes does not seek sympathy for his experiences, he hopes that by sharing small snapshots of their life with Aiden, he can provide support and encouragement to others. His decision to step away from television punditry is a testament to the profound impact family and personal challenges can have on one’s professional life.
