The Chase’s Anne Hegerty makes surprising revelation about her social life

Anne Hegerty, best known as “The Governess” on The Chase, has carved out a career as distinctive as her on-screen persona.

From starting out as a regional journalist to becoming a household name on one of Britain’s most beloved quiz shows, Hegerty’s path has been anything but ordinary.

Now she’s spoken openly about her life behind the scenes — including her experience of living with autism, her need for solitude, and the personal boundaries she’s come to understand and protect.

In a refreshingly honest interview with Best magazine, Hegerty revealed that while her schedule is often packed, she craves more quiet time.

“There are times when I would like to have a less social life than I do,” she said via Best.

“The thing is, I could say ‘No’ more, so really, that’s on me. I’d quite like it if things were not so busy, but then if they weren’t so busy, I’d worry.”

Diagnosed with autism at 45, Hegerty has spoken candidly about how the condition shapes her daily life — particularly her need for personal space and time alone.

“I don’t even have pets for that reason and my capacity for living with other people is just diminishing. I need a huge amount of alone time,” she said.

She also recently admitted that although she has no trouble finding male admirers, she lacks the energy required to maintain a romantic relationship.

“Let’s say I would not be short of offers if I went looking,” she recently told The Sun.

“But I am happy with my own company, I’ve had relationships go wrong precisely because I could not devote the mental energy to it, and I just thought ‘no, no, no, this is not a good idea’.

“I find men make such great friends — so let’s keep them like that.”