Paul Scholes has confirmed he has given up live TV roles because he wants to spend more time with his non-verbal son. The Manchester United icon made the decision to quit commentary and punditry work earlier this year to help his son, who requires a strict routine, and has opened up on his family’s life in a revealing interview.

Scholes is father to three children in their 20s – Arron, Alicia and Aiden. Aiden was diagnosed with autism during childhood and is non-verbal, requiring structured daily care that has significantly influenced Scholes’ professional commitments. Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, the Manchester United icon revealed the heartbreaking reason for his major career decision. He said: “I made a decision this year because of Aiden, obviously due to his special needs you might know about. All the work I do now is just around his routines because he has quite a strict routine every single day, so I just decided everything I’m going to do it is around Aiden.”

The former midfielder, who has taken a step back from media work, also revealed that he’s split with his wife of 26 years. He added: “I’m not with Claire anymore so we have him three nights each and Claire’s mum has him on a Friday night. 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. I pick him up every Tuesday from his day care and we go swimming. Loves swimming, then we get his pizza on the way home.

“Thursday pick him up, go for something to eat, go home. Sunday, I pick him up from Claire’s house and we go to Tesco where he buys a trolley full of chocolate. So, he doesn’t know what day or time it is, but he knows from what we’re doing what day it is. He’ll be 21 in December.”

Discussing the severity of his son’s condition, Scholes revealed that Aiden communicates through sounds only understood by those closest to him. He also opened up about how his child’s condition affected him throughout his playing career.

He said: “He’d bite your arm or scratch you just out of frustration for him cos he didn’t understand things, couldn’t tell you how he was feeling. I never got a break from it, even when playing.

“It was very hard in those days, feels like it was years ago. I don’t think they [doctors] diagnosed it til 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.

“Then all of a sudden you start seeing everything, I don’t know if it just consciously happens, I don’t know. I remember the first time after we were playing Derby away and I just didn’t want to be there.

“I remember the manager dropped me the week after actually, and I hadn’t told anyone [about the diagnosis]. I ended up telling them a few weeks later, I think as it was quite hard.”

These days, Scholes has revealed that his entire life revolves around his son’s needs, admitting he abandoned commentary duties because changes to routine left Aiden distressed. He explained: “Everything I’m going to do now just works around him, I do studio work, but everything is built around his day.

“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.

“And I did that for years really, always thinking I’ve got to stop this at some point, so I had the chance to do the podcast and I thought that would suit me more – well not me, Aiden.”