Known as The Governess on the hit ITV show The Chase, Anne Hegerty has openly discussed the struggles she faced during her upbringing.
At 65, Anne has not only made a name for herself on the British edition but also the Australian version of the quiz show.
The Chase star Anne Hegerty on childhood
However, the journey to acceptance and recognition was not an easy one for the quiz master.
Anne has been candid about her challenges, especially those stemming from her undocumented autism during her younger years.
“I grew up feeling like I couldn’t really do anything,” Anne revealed in an interview with 7News earlier this year. “My mother never told me I could accomplish anything. My dad was a complete incompetent in all walks of life.”
This sense of displacement Anne felt was exacerbated by the societal misunderstanding of autism.
Before receiving her autism diagnosis at the age of 45, Anne pursued a career in journalism, ghostwriting, and ultimately, the world of competitive quizzing.
Reflecting on her early years, the I’m A Celebrity... alum didn’t hold back. “I didn’t really have a particularly good childhood,” she admitted.
“The music was better, but there’s not much else that was better when I was a kid, to be honest. There are so many people my age who sort of look back nostalgically to earlier times. And I look at them and think, ‘No, you think it was better because your joints didn’t ache.'”
The Chase on ITV
Anne’s childhood took a turn when, at just 12 years old, her father left the family right before Christmas – an event that left a lasting imprint on her.
She shared this revelation with fellow quizzer Shaun Wallace, describing her family as a type of nuclear family “but one which exploded”.
Despite the adversities, Anne’s journey to fame and success on The Chase showcases her exceptional intelligence. She describes her brain as “like a Rolodex”.
Anne has also previously admitted that she’d secretly always wanted to be famous.
During a 2019 interview with The Sun on Sunday, Anne confessed her “filthy little secret”.
“My filthy little secret is that I’ve always wanted to be famous and I don’t get nervous being on TV!” She expressed.
Commenting on her current celebrity status, Anne gushed: “I loved the stardom. I paid off the mortgage, bought a new car and some jewellery too.”
Read more: The Chase star Anne Hegerty on her ‘filthy little secret’ over her career
The Chase airs weekdays from 5pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
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