10 Best British TV Characters Of The Decade
2. The Governess (The Chase)
Boasting more drama than your average Corrie omnibus, The Chase is the jewel in ITV’s teatime crown. And while Bradley Walsh is the clown prince of trivia (the best UK game show host since Barrymore - fact), the beating heart of the show is Anne Hegarty, better known as The Governess. Her default expression is one of jocular distaste - she absorbs the jibes of Walsh and, on occasion, the contestants, safe in the knowledge that she’s about to quiz them under the table.
But beneath the glacial exterior beats a warm heart. As we saw during her stint in the I’m A Celebrity jungle, she is a great spokesperson for mental health, speaking honestly about her Asperger’s syndrome. The churn of game show production must get tedious at times, but Anne never seems as though she’s bored of her role as The Chase’s arch pantomime villain. Sharp but magnanimous, she plays to win but never fails to congratulate a player or team on a job well done.
Her fondness for the sport of competitive cleverness is abundantly clear; you get the sense she’d be just as up for matching wits with the nation’s hopefuls even if there wasn’t a generous pay packet involved. Her villainous persona is a big part of what makes The Chase the best UK game show going, and she plays the role to perfection.