Viewers were in tears after watching Anne Hegerty meet a young boy with autism, who’s said to be her biggest fan.
Anne met young Joseph Hughes on This Morning after he wrote her an emotional and heart-warming letter while she was in the jungle on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!
11-year-old Joseph has been bullied due his autism, and his emotional letter prompted Anne to talk about her own Asperger’s.
Joseph’s letter read:
To Anne. My name is Joseph Hughes and I am 11. I live in Preston, Lancashire and I go to a specialist school.
I was diagnosed with autism when I was five. I like to watch you on The Chase and now I have been watching you in the Jungle. I think you are very brave for going in the Jungle, I couldn’t go there because there are too many bugs. [sic]
You are very clever. Sometimes people are mean to me because I am autistic but watching you makes me see that other people can have autism too and maybe I can have a cool job like you when I am older.
Do you like Thunderbirds? I love them. My favourite is Thunderbird two. I have drawn you a picture I hope you like it. [sic]
Good luck in the Jungle I hope you win. Love from Joseph.
Anne spoke to Phillip Schofield and Rochelle Humes about the letter before they surprised her by bringing Joseph and his mum out to meet her.
Joseph said it was great to meet her and laughed as she shared her knowledge of Thunderbirds facts with him.
Speaking about life in the camp, she said:
I went really quickly from ‘I want to win this’ to ‘I hope I’m the first voted off’ to ‘get me out of here now’.
People on Twitter loved the pair’s meeting, with one person quoting Anne’s beautifully honest line:
It’s completely untrue that I did it in order to raise awareness about autism, I did it for the money”!!! Love you more! Absolute legend! [sic]
One woman on Twitter said the meeting had ‘made her Christmas’, while another said:
Love it just now with @anne_hegerty inspiring had smile & tears in my eyes as so moving what has happened helping others. Proud of her as @ITVChase fan. [sic]
One Tweeter congratulated and thanked Anne, writing:
Well done Anne, my son is 30 and was diagnosed with Aspergers two years ago, the loneliness is heart breaking for a mother to witness, he works but social inclusion is so difficult, I hope This Morning cover this area for #asperger sufferers, as it’s often forgotten about. [sic]
It was recently revealed how Anne was on the brink of homelessness before capturing the nation’s hearts on The Chase.
The Governess, who’s been diagnosed with autism, opened up to Stuff, about how she almost lost her house:
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.
She was put on Disability Living Allowance to keep her afloat in the meantime.
Anne then learned of a ‘high level quizzing circuit’ and joined the world of elite quizzers, made up of contestants from Eggheads and Mastermind, just in time to audition for the second season of The Chase.
What an inspirational woman and young boy!
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