From quiz enthusiast to household name: Anne Hegerty reflects on how ‘The Chase’ transformed her life

As the beloved game show The Chase continues to soar in popularity, capturing the hearts and minds of viewers across the globe, quizmaster Anne Hegerty has opened up how the show has transformed her life.

From making her first ever TV appearance in 1988 as a contestant on Mastermind to then becoming a fan favourite on The Chase and even competing on I’m a Celebrity…get me out of here! back in 2018, Hegerty revealed she has been left “amazed” by her journey.

“People ask me, ‘How has The Chase changed your life?’ and I say, ‘Completely.’ It feels like nothing is the same,” she told Now to Love.

“I’d never been popular and I’m absolutely amazed by all these people who love me.

“I think, ‘Well, you obviously can’t know me terribly well!’ But yeah, it’s nice.”

In the midst of her dedicated fanbase, Hegerty shared that she’s also had her share of male admirers.

“I’m very happy with my own company, so I tend to let them down gently,” she said.

“But it’s nice to know that there are that many options out there if I want it.”

Hegery no doubt collected a few more admirers after a recent glam photoshoot left her fans utterly spellbound with a side of her that fans have rarely seen before.

The brainy quizmaster shed her signature stern image and embraced a glamorous transformation for New Idea, sporting a colourful ensemble that has triggered a wave of admiration from adoring fans.

 

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Her role with the highly popular game show in addition to her latest photoshoot has made Hegerty the talk of the town lately, something she revealed that she always secretly desired.

“My dirty little secret is that I wanted to be famous right from childhood,” she told New Idea

“I just wanted to be famous as ‘something’. My grandfather worked for a publisher. I thought, ‘I want to be able to do this.’ I couldn’t… I’m not a very good writer. So I decided I’d be a famous singer, then a famous actress.”

Although she didn’t make it to Hollywood she did realise her aspirations for fame when she took on the role of a ‘chaser’ on the renowned British quiz show, The Chase.

“It’s nice that I can walk into a room, and I don’t have to tell people who I am. I can just sort of lurk at the back,” she explained.

“If people ignore me, I think ‘Well, it’s your loss.’ I don’t really know how to explain it. I like being famous.”