Anne Hegerty, also known as The Governess on the popular ITV quiz programme The Chase, dazzled fans during the show's festive special with a stunningly glam makeover. Ditching her iconic stern look and trademark grey suit, Anne glammed up in sequins for the Yuletide charity episode, joining Bradley Walsh and facing off with McFly's Harry Judd.
Social media was abuzz with compliments for Anne’s transformed appearance. One fan wrote on the platform X: "Anne looking gorgeous". Another added, flipping the script on Anne’s wardrobe choice: "Finally, they get @anne_hegerty out of that horrid grey garb and into her sparkly party dress. Doesn't she look amazing?" Cheers such as "Anne looks amazing! Go girl!" and "Anne scrubs up well" also flooded X.
However, the star-studded episode wasn’t all about Anne’s attire – celebs lined up for a good cause, with talents like Angela Griffin from Waterloo Road, Strictly's Kai Widdrington, and EastEnders' Shane Richie joining in the game show excitement on Sunday. Fans heaved a sigh of relief at 66 year old Anne’s return to 'The Chase' following speculation over her absence from its sister show, 'Beat The Chasers', reports the Express.
Whispers about Anne Hegerty's future on The Chase started making rounds after Issa Schultz – the Australian Chaser extraordinaire – temporarily filled her shoes on a rerun of the prime-time version. But fear not, Anne put those rumours to bed real quick.
She swung by her social media and set the record straight, writing: "I haven't left, am not leaving, and wasn't leaving when Issa had to stand in for me when I caught Covid NEARLY THREE YEARS AGO." Anne previously opened up about creating the character of The Governess on The Chase, revealing that she changed her alter-ego at the last minute.
Speaking on Loose Women back in 2021, Anne said: "Originally, the character was going to be more sort of creepy. I remember saying I wanted her to be a cross between Caroline Aherne’s Mrs Merton and Daphne Fowler on EggHeads.
"I wanted everyone to think in terms of Dolores Umbridge and how the creepiest thing about her was those damn kittens. And then a friend of mine said that’s a bit too different from what I’m like and I wouldn’t be able to maintain that."
The Governess star continued: "So, I went and based her more on my grandmother who I did mention earlier and she was formidable. Also, one of my aunts and just this generically scary character [formed]. Americans have compared her to Professor McGonagall. I would rather be McGonagall than Umbridge any day."
