British daytime television creates a certain type of renown, and Anne Hegerty possesses it. She’s sitting behind that desk in the late afternoon, wearing her signature austere blouse, her eyebrows raised like a headmistress catching a youngster mid fib. On screen, she exudes conviction. The picture has always been more intricate off it. Additionally, that issue has recently escalated into a more serious medical issue.
ensuing year, Hegerty turned 67, and the ensuing 12 months have been subtly illuminating. Over the summer, she told Yours Magazine that her doctor had pulled her aside and brought up the term that, at her age, nobody really likes to hear: prediabetes. Ozempic, the substance that everyone has heard about by now, was introduced by the doctor mostly through rumors rather than medication. Hegerty had a typical response: “I’ll think about it, but just think.” She emphasized, “I’m just thinking about it.” She seems a little hesitant to follow the current trend.
She claims that her thirty pound weight loss has been gradual and nearly unintentional, despite the fact that it seems spectacular when written out. No scheme. Not a diet. She told Bella magazine that being wealthy has altered her eating habits, allowing her to eat more deliberately and leave food on a plate without feeling like a little catastrophe. It’s uncommon for a celebrity to publicly state that having money suppresses appetite, yet this aligns with the long standing arguments made by dietitians about food insecurity. Individuals who are unsure of their next meal typically eat more when they can.
| Bio / Important Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Anne Hegerty |
| Known As | “The Governess” |
| Age | 67 (as of 2025) |
| Born | London, England |
| Currently Based | Manchester |
| Profession | Quizzer, television personality |
| Famous For | ITV’s The Chase (since 2010), Beat the Chasers I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!* (2018) |
| Known Health Conditions | Asperger’s syndrome (diagnosed at 45), pre-diabetes (disclosed 2025), face blindness |
| Recent Health News | Reported 30lb weight loss; GP suggested Ozempic to stave off type 2 diabetes |
It’s not the weight or the medicine that’s intriguing to see her discuss all of this. It’s the mood. Her voice lacks fear and a dramatic metamorphosis. She says she has “no core strength” and definitely should stretch, almost as an afterthought. The majority of celebs her age would have a personal trainer and a ribbon tied eating plan. Hegerty just states that she need to walk around a little more.
Naturally, her life’s most important health tale has nothing to do with physical health. She was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome in her mid forties, but she didn’t really start talking about it in public until she appeared on I’m A Celebrity in 2018. One of the most iconic television scenes of that year came from Hegerty’s jungle stint: weary on a wet spot of Australian ground, crying, and about to give up. Her teammates came together for her. She lingered. Many people recognized the difference between Anne and The Governess for the first time.
Since then, she has been candid about it, at times wryly and at other times with a hint of annoyance. She previously told Jeremy Vine, “People say to me, ‘I understand you suffer from Asperger’s,’ and I’m like, ‘No, I suffer from idiots, I have Asperger’s.”The line is crisp and funny, but there’s more to it than that. A fatigue, perhaps.
She has described the years leading up to the diagnosis as a sort of gradual, perplexing self puzzle. facial blindness. trouble interpreting social cues. She has such a strong dislike for people that she doesn’t have pets, doesn’t generally have visitors, and once told the Daily Mail that she had to limit the amount of time her two neighbor’s kids could spend with her to one hour each day.
According to her own perspective, the same syndrome has dominated her love life. The only reason her previous relationship lasted four months was that it was long distance. In interviews with Best and the Mirror*, she discussed turning off her phone to prevent her ex boyfriend from contacting her, weeping with joy when it ended, and then feeling bad about it. She admitted, “I really struggle with closeness.” It’s the type of disclosure that may elicit sympathy from others. It seems like an honest accounting from her.
This has an interesting symmetry. The brain that knows the dates of British prime ministers, the capitals of vanished republics, and the rules of esoteric card games is the same brain that makes a crowded kitchen intolerable. In 2010, a social worker assisted her in getting her Chase audition. She readily repeats a detail that doesn’t quite suit the refined ITV brand.
The Chase filming has been put on hold until 2027, she acknowledges, in part due to ITV’s financial constraints and in part because they have banked hundreds of episodes. She claims she’s going to take action. She’s been approached by a film director. Additionally, three episodes of the new spin off The Chase Around the World have already been recorded in Europe.
It’s difficult to ignore the fact that she uses the same level, flat voice while discussing the doctor’s warning, autism, loneliness, and new ventures. No fuss. Do not reframe. It’s unclear if that’s the Asperger’s syndrome or just her. I think both. It’s evident that Anne Hegerty has spent the most of her life learning how to handle situations that other people don’t have to worry about, and she isn’t going to start becoming upset right now. It comes out that the Governess has been secretly controlling herself the entire time.
i) https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/showbiz-news/chase-star-anne-hegerty-shares-31533656
ii) https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1276021/anne-hegerty-health-latest-aspergers-syndrome-symptoms-the-chase
iii) https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/chases-anne-hegertys-health-warning-10436857