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The Chase’s Anne Hegerty to Explore Irish Roots in New TV Show

By Eric Hillis
31/08/2021
Est. Reading: 3 minutes

The Chaser, known as "The Governess" on the quiz show, will appear in an upcoming episode of ITV's DNA Journey.

DNA Journey sees celebs learn of their heritage through DNA science and the help of expert historians and genealogists.

ITV's official description of the show reads "In this journey of discovery, guided by expert genealogists and historians and using cutting edge DNA technology and hidden genealogy, the celebrities will explore long held secrets and uncover relatives they never even knew they had."

The first episode of the show saw Ant & Dec discover their Irish roots, and now Hegerty is set to do likewise.

Earlier this year Hegerty revealed her Irish ancestry on an episode of The Chase spinoff Beat The Chasers. She's now looking forward to learning more of her family's past.

"I don’t know if I'm supposed to tell you this, but I’m supposed to be doing that ITV show DNA journey but I know they are talking to my family but obviously they can’t tell me anything," she told the Irish Mirror. "So I’m kind of looking forward to finding some surprises."

Hegerty claims to have "three Irish lineages."

"The Hegertys who came from Cork, and then the ascendency Irish, the Breretons who settled in either Laois or Offaly or maybe a bit of both," she detailed. "And then the Scots Irish Paisleyites, who are the Johnsons from near Downpatrick. So yeah my grandmother was born in Scotland near Aberdeen. But both her parents were, one of them was a Johnson and one of them was a Brereton so that is sort of like a closer connection than the Hegertys."

The 63-year-old brainbox is particularly interested in learning about the Hegertys who fled the famine.

"The Hegertys came over here during the potato famine, and I'd love to know more about the Hegertys and I'd love to know whether they were from Co. Cork or the city of Cork, all I know is Cork, it could be either," she said. "And I’d love to know a bit more about their lives in Ireland. I know that my great-great grandfather came over and I don’t know how many of his family came with him. He was born in 1835 so I don’t know when he came over, if he was a child, if he was with family. I would quite like to know those things."

Hegerty won’t be the only British celeb to explore their Irish roots on DNA Journey. Presenters Emma Willis and Stephen Mulhern are believed to have filmed segments of the show in Ireland, as both celebs boast Irish ancestry.

Despite recently taking a pay cut to accommodate the addition of Irish Chaser Darragh Ennis, Hegerty is believed to have achieved millionaire status.

Between The Chase and other appearances, including I'm a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here, Hegerty has earned over £1 million over the past two years.

One show Hegerty won’t be appearing on is Dancing On Ice.

"I’ve always wanted to learn to ice skate, but I don't think I would do Dancing on Ice," she recently said. "Because I am hopeless at remembering things like dance routines, I would have to practice and practice and practice and I will still be rubbish. And also, I mean, once you’ve done the jungle, that’s kind of the big one."

Hegerty has no problem admitting she appears on shows for the money.

"I did it basically for the money and the exposure," she said of her I'm a Celebrity stint. "I know everybody always says, ‘Oh you did it to raise awareness for autism’ and I’m like, ‘No, actually, I really didn’t!’ I’m far less lofty minded than that. It was money and fame."

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