TV personality and gameshow superstar, Anne Hegerty, has opened up about performing, autism and getting to play a ‘goody’ ahead of Warrington’s 2024 panto.
Best known for her role as The Governess on ITV’s gameshow, The Chase, Anne Hegerty is so stranger to channelling her stern side.
After joining the cast as a Chaser in 2010, Anne has gone on to become a well-known TV personality, and even came seventh on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here in 2018.
Surprisingly, perhaps, she’s now found a love for pantomimes in the festive season, performing in them for the past decade.
“[Panto]is great fun, it’s a chance to do something that isn’t The Chase, and it’s a chance to do something with a live audience on stage,” she said.
“It’s much more risky in a way because if you forget your lines there is no one there to remind you, there’s so chance of a retake. It’s risky in an interesting sort of way.
“I just like the audience’s reaction, and I’m told that in Warrington they are very responsive audiences so I’m looking forward to that.”
This year, she’s made her way to Warrington, where she will instead turn to a much more sparkly persona and transform into a Fairy Godmother in this year’s panto, Cinderella.
When she began doing pantomimes, Anne found herself type cast as the baddie, which she says was fun but she’s looking forward to turning to the good side.
“It’s quite nice playing the goody,” she said.
“I always feel when I go down for the finale and they’re booing I’m like ‘what? A, I was good and B, they’ve probably done the magic spell so I’m nice now, so you know, stop it.’
“Of course they may still boo, in which case it was because I was just a bit rubbish.”
The 66-year-old is no stranger to learning, with such a plethora of knowledge at her disposal, so she already knows the best method to memorising her lines.
“When I learn lines I just kind of go over them and go over them,” she said.
“When I was a child, I mean I was a deeply tragic child, and I used to memorise Shakespeare’s speeches just out of interest just because I thought I could.
“So just reading things over and over again then they do kind of settle in your brain.”
Though it has only happened once, Anne needs to prepare herself in case she does forget her lines.
“Being autistic I find I can’t really think on my feet, so I need a plan B and a plan C and a plan D.
“I just need to have all the options in my head so if anything goes wrong with this scene, what am I going to do? I’m going to do that and that and that.
“So, you get that straight in your head beforehand and probably it won’t go wrong, but you know what to do if it does.
“I struggle with being surprised, I need things to kind of be dependable.”
Of course, a pantomime with Anne in the cast wouldn’t make sense if there wasn’t a quiz show element included.
Though exact details about the show are being kept quiet, Anne revealed that the outfit she wore to her first audition for The Chase is set to feature on stage in Cinderella.
While she has become a household name, Anne isn’t sure if she has any tips on how others can do the same.
“I kind of tripped and fell into this life, I mean I was a proof reader which I think is a really good job for an autistic person,” she said.
“But if you want to be good at quizzing, do quizzes go to your local quiz night.
“I haven’t the faintest idea [how to be an actress], I’m still trying to figure it out myself. When I was a kid, I always thought wouldn’t it be cool to be an actress or a TV star, and my mother was like ‘no one ever makes any money doing that dear’, so I never seriously pursued it.
“But I’ve worked with so many good young actors and actresses and there are opportunities out there. But every actor I know has got a backup job, so have a backup.”
Warrington Parr Hall and Tony Peers Ltd production of Cinderella will open on January 3 at 7pm and will run until January 12.
An accessible performance for those with special educational needs or dementia will be held on Saturday January 11 at 9.45am, using lower volumes for sound effects and fewer flashing lights.
There will also be a performance on January 12 at 11am featuring a British Sign Language interpreter.
Tickets start at £7 and can be bought on Parr Hall’s website or by calling 442345.
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