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'The Chase's' Anne Hegerty says new quizzer may mean less money for the others

Chaser, Anne "The Governess" Hegerty on The Chase. (© ITV/Matt Frost)
Anne 'The Governess' Hegerty on The Chase (ITV/Matt Frost)

The Chase's Anne ‘The Governess’ Hegerty has admitted she’s a bit torn about another Chaser joining the quiz show because it could mean less work - and therefore less money.

Dublin-born scientist Darragh Ennis made his debut as a Chaser last week, after previously appearing as a contestant on the ITV programme.

His arrival brought with it record-breaking ratings, which Hegerty said she was pleased about.

But when asked on Lewis Nicholls' YouTube show if she supported a newcomer joining she confessed it was “a tricky one”.

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Darragh Ennis was unveiled as the show's newest Chaser. (ITV)
Darragh Ennis (ITV)

She explained that the Chasers are paid by the performance, so fewer shows means less money.

"A lot of the public imagine that we are on the same sort of deal that Hollywood stars were in the 1930s,” she said.

“They got paid a salary per month, per year, then they were salaried employees at the studio, and the studio would find them things to do for that salary.

"That isn't actually how it works, the Chasers and Bradley Walsh, we get paid a flat fee for every show that we do.

Anne Hegerty has admitted she struggles with intimacy.  (Getty Images)
Anne Hegerty (Getty Images)

“So any show that I am doing is a show for which I am being paid, and the other Chasers aren't, and that applies to all of us.

“If you are going to divide the shows between six, rather than five, do the maths."

Hegerty noted that if it means a bigger order of shows, everyone’s money goes up. But she said host Walsh is so in demand that he has plenty of other commitments to juggle too.

Ennis joins five established Chasers on the hit series – Hegerty, Mark ‘The Beast’ Labbett, Paul ‘The Sinnerman’ Sinha, Shaun ‘The Dark Destroyer’ Wallace and Jenny ‘The Vixen’ Ryan.

The programme achieved its highest ever ratings (an average audience of 4.9 million) when he made his debut on 19 November.

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