The Chase icon Anne Hegerty has never shied away from discussing her romantic history.
The quiz genius, famously dubbed The Governess, made her debut on the programme in 2010 as its inaugural female Chaser. As well as being in the UK version, she is also a chaser on the Australian version of the show.
Since her telly debut, Anne has become a regular on screens, and notably starred as a contestant on the 2018 ITV reality show I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!
Beyond the studio lights and television appearances, however, Anne’s romantic journey has proved far from ordinary…. From speculation surrounding a ‘mystery spouse’ to her most enduring relationship to date, we delve into Anne’s romantic history, reports the Mirror.
Anne’s ‘mystery spouse’
Following tabloid speculation about an unexpected marriage, Anne clarified matters during a Loose Women appearance in August 2025.
When questioned about her personal life, presenter Christine Lampard enquired about the alleged ‘husband’. She asked: “Anne – according to a recent Wikipedia page entry, it’s confirmed that you were indeed married to an unknown man. Who was this mystery husband?”.
Setting the record straight, she explained: “I have no idea. Somebody vandalized my Wikipedia page and claimed that I was married to somebody called Jake Hester.”
She continued: “I have no idea if he even exists, I’ve certainly never met him. My brother didn’t help when he messaged me and said, ‘I’ve got to meet this guy!'” Regarding her relationship status, Anne confirmed: “I’m fine, I’m absolutely fine.”
Anne ‘very happy in my own company’
During her stint on The Chasers Road Trip, Anne candidly discussed her love life, confessing that she is “just not good with the sort of attention that people need”.
In a 2021 interview with The Guardian, Anne revealed: “I think the problem is I find it really difficult to fall in love with real people. I’ve thought: ‘Am I in love with this guy?’ And then we kind of get together and I think, ‘Damn it, no, oh dear.'”.
Anne later confided to OK! magazine about her struggle to remain present, admitting: “I get overwhelmed in the presence of actual people and everything shuts down.
She continued: “I’ve found that with sex, too. It’s like I can’t be fully in it. That much intimacy, I almost zone out.”
Moreover, in August 2025, Anne declared that she “really wouldn’t” desire someone to share her life with. “I used to, but I realised I was wanting to want it rather than genuinely wanting a romantic relationship,” she disclosed to the Mirror.
“I don’t even want pets. I’ve got pot plants and I mind when they die, but no, I’m very happy in my own company. I’m just fine.”
Anne’s brutal swipe at ex-boyfriend
In 2019, Anne opened up about her longest relationship. She told The Sun: “I’d fancied him for years and we were together for four months.”
The television personality then divulged that despite living in Manchester while he resided in Brighton, Anne confessed she felt “suffocated”.
Anne also took a brutal dig at her ex-partner regarding their intimate life. She divulged: “And sex was always better in my head, I felt like I was somewhere else while it was happening. It made me realise I needed space both mentally and physically in life, and I can’t make it work.”
The Chase airs Monday to Friday at 5pm on ITV1.
