Anne Hegerty – known to millions as The Governess from The Chase – has always been refreshingly open about her life, whether it’s her childhood or past experiences.
However, a resurfaced interview with The Guardian from 2021 shed light on her unique perspective on friendship.
In the interview, Anne – who is appearing on Beat The Chasers tonight (December 27) – opened up about how she felt her comments were misunderstood.
Anne Hegerty on friendship
TV star Anne admitted that she struggled with the concept of friendship.
“I wasn’t clear what the point of friends was,” she said.
Anne reflected on her experiences growing up as an undiagnosed autistic child, preferring books over people and struggling to connect with her peers.
“I would much rather have sat in the corner with books,” she explained.
However, her comments were later interpreted by some as a confession of loneliness, which is a narrative she rejects.
“People have jumped on that and misinterpreted it,” the quiz master clarified. “I’ve had people saying: ‘Anne has talked so movingly about her struggles with loneliness,’ and I’m like: no, I said I didn’t know how to make friends. Maybe I should have added I didn’t know why to make friends.”
Her fame skyrocketed on The Chase
Anne’s relationship with social interaction began to shift as she entered the world of quizzing.
It was during a World Quizzing Championship event in Ludlow that she met Mark Labbett – her future colleague on The Chase. Mark encouraged her to apply for the show.
Through her quizzing connections, Anne began forming meaningful relationships. However, she admits these friendships work in a way that suits her.
“I’ve never really related to women very much,” she said. “Again it’s probably to do with being autistic, but women care about stuff that I can’t quite make sense of and they make assumptions about you because you’re female.”
Despite her initial struggles, Anne now has a close-knit group of friends, particularly within the quizzing community.
Anne also credits her autism diagnosis for helping her understand social dynamics.
“It kind of helped me just reframe everything.” She admitted. “I suddenly found myself more sympathetic to others.”
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