The Chase star Anne Hegerty, who earned legions of fans during her short stint on I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! in 2018, has revealed how her Asperger’s syndrome affects her love and sex life.
Anne wasn’t diagnosed with the condition – a form of autism that affects social development – until she was in her 40s but after opening up in the jungle to her fellow camp mates she ignited a national conversation about living with Asperger’s.
Now she’s revealed how she navigates romance, saying, “What I have found is that I do fall in love but it tends to not be with people I meet in real life, I fall in love with historical or fictional characters.
“People I can put a bit of distance between, I get overwhelmed in the presence of actual people and everything shuts down."
CHECK OUT: Celebrities you forgot were on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here
Celebrities you forgot were on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here - slider
1 of 17I'm A Celebrity... series 1: Uri Geller
Self-proclaimed psychic and television magician and illusionist tried to get the camp to join in him in contacting Michael Jackson from the jungle in series 1 back in 2002. Unfortunately, the rest of the camp mates weren't so keen. Series 1 winner: Tony Blackburn.
2 of 17I'm A Celebrity... series 2: Danniella Westbrook
Danniella appeared on the show in series two, but quit after nine days as she couldn't stand to be away from her kids and her then husband, Kevin Jenkins. Series 2 winner: Phil Tufnell.
3 of 17I'm A Celebrity...series 3: Neil Ruddock
After a stint in Celebrity Big Brother, former footballer Neil 'Razor' Ruddock also jetted off to Australia for a bit of R&R in the jungle. This is was the year Katie Price and Peter Andre found love!Series 3 winner: Kerry Katona
4 of 17I'm A Celebrity... series 4: Vic Reeves and Nancy Sorrell
Vic and Nancy appeared on the show together back in 2004. While Nancy was an original camp mate, Vic (whose real name is Jim Moir, was a late arrival.Series 4 winner: Joe Pasquale
5 of 17I'm A Celebrity... series 5: Anthony Costa
Former Blue member Anthony appeared on I'm A Celebrity series 5 in 2005. Series 5 winner: Carol Thatcher
6 of 17I'm A Celebrity... series 6: Dean Gaffney
EastEnder's actor Dean Gaffney checked into the jungle in 2006. Other celebs in the camp this year include: David Gest, Jason Donovan and Mylene Klass of the famous white bikini shower scene. Series 6 winner: Matt Willis
7 of 17I'm A Celebrity... series 13: Matthew Wright
Daytime TV legend and talkRadio host Matthew Wright entered the jungle in 2013, and rubbed a number of the camp mates up the wrong way.Series 13 winner: Kian EganHe hilariously branded Westlife singer Kian Egan a 'scab' and was particularly nasty about Joey Essex, calling the series "all about Joey".
8 of 17I'm A Celebrity... series 7: Katie Hopkins
Controversial Katie Hopkins is often included in round ups of celebs rumoured to be appearing on various reality TV shows, but she did actually appear on I'm A Celeb back in 2007. She was the first to be voted off, though. Series 7 winner: Christopher Biggins.
9 of 17I'm A Celebrity... series 8: Simon Webbe
Another Blue member we forgot enjoyed a stint in the I'm A Celeb camp. Now that our memory's been jogged, we do briefly remember Simon causing a bit of a stir in the famous waterfall shower....Series 8 winner: Joe Swash.
10 of 17I'm A Celebrity... series 9: Kim Woodburn
We mainly associate Kim with her January 2017 Celebrity Big Brother appearance and vast array of original insults. BUT, before all that Kim battled Bushtucker Trials in the ninth series of I'm A Celebrity. Series 9 winner: Gino D'Acampo.
11 of 17I'm A Celebrity... series 10: Aggro Santos
Back in 2010 pop star (ish) Aggro Santos took part in the 10th series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Series 10 winner: Stacey Solomon.
12 of 17I'm A Celebrity... series 11: Sinitta
When we think of Sinitta, we mainly just think of that time she rocked up to The X Factor Judges' Houses wearing nothing but leaves - so it's easy to forget she enjoyed a brief stint in the Jungle in 2011. Series 11 winner: Dougie Poynter.
13 of 17I'm A Celebrity... series 12: Hugo Taylor
In 2012 Hugo Taylor swapped his Chelsea life of luxury to slum it in the I'm A Celebrity jungle. Series 12 winner: Charlie Brooks.
14 of 17I'm A Celebrity... series 13: Joey Essex
The Only Way Is Essex star flew off to Aus to impart his pearls of wisdom onto the guys in Croc Creek back in 2013. Series 13 winner: Kian Egan.
15 of 17I'm A Celebrity... series 14: Tinchy Stryder
Remember Tinchy Stryder? Joined by Jake Quickenden, Jimmy Bullard and (very briefly) Gemma Collins, the UK rapper enjoyed a stay in the jungle in 2014. Series 14 winner: Carl Fogarty.
16 of 17I'm A Celebrity... series 15: Spencer Matthews
You'll be forgiven for forgetting about Spencer's I'm A Celeb stint as he was in the Jungle for about five minutes (five days). Spenny had to quit the show in 2015 'on medical grounds'.Series 15 winner: Vicky Pattinson.
17 of 17I'm A Celebrity... series 16: Lisa Snowdon
Lisa was the second celeb to be voted out of 2016's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! (Danny Baker was the first to leave).Series 16 winner: Scarlett Moffatt.
WATCH: Georgia Toffolo reveals her time in the jungle was "AWFUL" | I’m a Celeb Secrets
Speaking to OK! magazine, 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.”
Anne has been in relationships before but ended it after he became clingy and “started phoning me every day. Every single day!”
Speaking to The Mirror earlier this year, she admitted, “The longest relationship I’ve ever had in my life was four months. I only managed that because we didn’t live in the same city. I would have found it intolerable otherwise.”
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Speaking to hosts Declan Donnelly and Holly Willoughby after leaving the jungle, Anne said “It was awful at the beginning. It was funny doing the swim across the lake, but then we were walking and walking, and I thought we were walking into hell.
“I couldn't process it; it was like the reality hit me and I was like, ‘what have I done, what was I thinking?’ I went into the Bush Telegraph next day and said ‘I quit’, and they said [to] give it a few hours."