Anne Hegerty is best known for being a quizzing genius on The Chase.
The 63-year-old, also known as The Governess, will be back on screens tonight, joining her fellow chasers, for Beat The Chasers on ITV. Anne has portrayed her stern alter-ego role since 2010.
But before landing her big role on the ITV quiz show, the chaser lived a completely different life to what she is used to now. She was living pay check to pay check while struggling with anxiety.
READ MORE: ITV's Beat The Chasers contestant shares unique link to The Chase
Anne has previously revealed that she was living on the brink of homelessness. She worked as a freelance proof reader, also relying on benefits to help cover her rent costs as she lived in a council house.
Speaking to Stuff, she said: "I just simply couldn't keep it going and the result was I wasn't paying my bills, but I was trying not to go on benefits on the grounds that I just thought that was sort of giving up. I wasn't giving up."
Anne is autistic, and because of this she struggled to keep on top of her accounts for her freelance work. She soon fell into financial difficulty and fell behind with rent payments when someone from the Housing Association visited her.
She said: "She was stepping over piles of unopened mail and realised we had a problem. She said 'we will fix this, I will get someone to help you."
Help from a social worker meant that Anne could be assisted with paying her bills by putting on Disability Living Allowance - a benefit for with disabilities to live everyday lives. Once her life was back on track, Anne learned about the "high level quizzing circuit" and the rest is history.
According to CelebrityNetWorth, Anne is now worth a staggering £3.2m. Speaking of her fame, she said: "It is difficult to go down the street without being recognised. It's weird and interesting. There are times when you're not absolutely crazy about it... but I hope I never take it for granted."
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