Who is Anne Hegerty? I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! 2018 profile
Famous for being the fiendishly fierce quizmaster the Governess, Anne Hegerty swaps The Chase chair for a hammock as she heads Down Under
I’m a Celebrity 2018 contestants: Anne Hegerty
Age: 60
Famous for: Starring on The Chase as the Governess
Twitter: @anne_hegerty
Phobias: Spiders “make her flinch” apparently.
Is Anne Hegerty single? Yes – in a previous interview she said she often “struggles” to pick up on signals from men. But she’s most definitely not looking for love in the camp.
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“I sort of managed to establish in my life that relationships aren’t really a thing I can handle," she said. "And so it’s probably best not!”
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She says: “I was the world’s worst Brownie and Girl Guide and I never did camping. I am pretty sedentary and I spend most of my time sitting on my bum reading things on the internet! It will do me good to have to exercise a little bit more.”
Biography: Anne Hegerty was born in Wood Green, London, in 1958, but since relocated to Manchester.
Prior to landing her role on The Chase in 2010, Hegerty worked as a journalist, editor and proofreader – but says she struggled with her organisational skills.
After watching a documentary on children with autism in 2003, Hegerty realised she may also have the same condition, with a doctor diagnosing her with Aspergers Syndrome some years later.
However, by 2008, Hegerty was struggling to earn a steady income, with two bailiffs knocking at her door.
Speaking on Loose Women last year, she explained, “I realised the whole problem with juggling things hadn’t got any better just because I knew what it was, I was still struggling, I was having difficulty getting jobs done on time.
“On New Year’s Day 2008 I had two bailiffs turn up on my doorstep and because I had so little income I had not been paying bills, and I respect the concept of paying bills, I’m very much in favour of it, I just couldn’t quite get it together.”
However, Hegerty managed to turn things around thanks to a social worker Jeff Mackenzie, who ensured bills were paid and put her forward for the role on The Chase.
“A terribly helpful social worker named Jeff Mackenzie came and said to me, ‘Don’t worry about a thing, I will open the mail, we will get the bills paid, I will get you filling in the forms so you can actually be on benefits,’” she added.
Hegerty's sterling quiz record has since been recognised internationally, having ranked 55th (and second place amongst women) in the World Quizzing Championships in 2016.
She has gone on to star in the Australian edition of The Chase alongside Mark ‘the Beast’ Labbett.
Since playing the Governess, Hegerty has starred in pantomime, most recently playing The Princess of China in Torquay’s version of Aladdin in 2017.
She also hosted her very own quiz show, Britain’s Brightest Family, earlier this year.
However, Hegerty is hoping her time in the jungle will show people she is far removed from her Frosty Knickers persona.
“It will be interesting for people to see me as Anne,” she said. “I am going to be way out of The Governess’ comfort zone in all of this. I will come across a lot more nervous than I do on The Chase.”
I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! returns Sunday at 9pm on ITV
