Abbey Romeo became one of the most recognisable faces on Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum, but her journey to finding love, identity and a voice was anything but simple. In this conversation, Abbey opens up about growing up with autism, the reality of feeling isolated and misunderstood, and what life was really like before the show. Abbey shares what autism feels like from the inside, describing it as living between two worlds, while Abbey’s mum Christine reflects on the challenges of raising a child in a system she believes is often broken. They speak honestly about the early years, from communication struggles and emotional breakthroughs to the moment Abbey first understood her diagnosis and how that shaped her identity. Christine also shares the unseen side of parenting, the survival mode, the lack of support, and the turning points that slowly gave them hope. Abbey also reflects on finding love with her boyfriend David, what their relationship means to her, and the quiet ways he makes her feel safe, understood and seen. From building a successful hat business to discovering her voice through music, Abbey demonstrates how purpose, creativity and connection have transformed her life and why representation matters more than ever. Abbey Romeo, We Need To Talk (00:00) Intro (01:50) The Success of Love on the Spectrum (02:39) How Abbey Felt When She First Joined the Show (03:46) Why Hannah Montana Is Important To Abbey (04:50) Abbey and Christine on Becoming Public Figures (06:04) Why Christine Didn't Think Abbey Belonged On The Show (08:17) Abbey’s Emotional Connection to Mermaids (10:22) Abbey Gifts Paul One of Her Hats (12:32) When Abbey Discovered She Was Autistic (14:12) Abbey’s Experiences Across Different Schools (17:59) Christine’s View on the Origins of Autism (18:45) How Abbey Defines Autism (19:23) Paul Shows Abbey a Photo of Her as a Baby (21:00) What It’s Like Filming Love on the Spectrum (25:10) What Abbey Likes About Her Boyfriend David (28:31) Does Abbey Love David? (32:45) Shopify Ad (33:51) When Abbey and David Became Official (36:16) How Much Time Christine Has to Herself (37:11) Christine on Parenting an Autistic Child (41:47) What Abbey Loves Most About Christine (45:56) Abbey’s Musical Ability (47:50) Abbey’s Favourite TV Shows (49:03) David’s Ability to See Numbers as Colours (52:15) Paul Surprises Abbey With a Message From A Celebrity Guest (58:16) What Abbey Wishes People Knew About Autism (58:48) What Abbey and David Like to Do Together (59:21) The New Series Of Love On The Spectrum (01:00:03) Most Memorable Conversation (01:03:16) Paul’s Takeaways Follow me here: https://www.instagram.com/needtotalk https://www.tiktok.com/@weneedtotalkpod Follow Abbey here: https://www.instagram.com/hatsbyabbey https://www.tiktok.com/@hatsbyabbey Sponsored by: Shopify: www.shopify.co.uk/needtotalk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.