TV presenter Melanie Sykes 'relieved' after autism diagnosis at 51

The TV presenter Melanie Sykes says she is 'relieved' after being diagnosed as autistic.

The 51-year-old, from Ashton-Under-Lyne, recently discovered that she is living with the condition, something she describes as “life-changing".

Melanie, who is also a radio presenter and model, says she is relieved and says things in her life are 'finally starting to make sense'.

In a video on Instagram, Sykes explained:“There’s a sense of relief about it and a sense of mourning. Not because I don’t want to be who I am, it’s that I wish I’d known sooner so I could have understood exactly why things were rolling the way they were rolling.

“I’ve been vulnerable to abusive people, I’ve been vulnerable to people that lie because I only see and take on board what people tell me. I’ve always been a bit funny with jokes, if somebody tells me something with a deadpan delivery I believe them.”

While making a documentary investigating the failures of the education system for children who are autistic, she decided to take a test which came back positive.

She said "to find out at 51 it is incredible". Sykes' youngest son received an autism diagnosis at the age of three.

The model and TV star Christine McGuinness recently revealed she had been diagnosed as autistic.

Appearing on ITV’s Loose Women, she discussed how autism had affected her life and relationships.

She said: "I got my diagnosis a few months ago. I have felt different my whole life. Honestly, I am relieved to finally understand myself!"

Christine, who is married to Top Gear's Paddy McGuinness, has three children who all have an autism diagnosis.