'Im a Celeb': Autistic boy pens heartfelt letter to Anne Hegerty

A young boy with autism has written a heartwarming letter to I’m a Celebrity…Get Me out of Here! star Anne Hegerty.

11-year-old Joseph Hughes from Preston was diagnosed with autism at the age of five. His mother has shared the touching letter he wrote Hegerty on Twitter.

Kate Jarvis said Joseph was “amazed” at seeing Hegerty, who has Asperger’s syndrome, as The Governess on ITV gameshow The Chase.

“He sees his autism quite negatively sometimes, so was pleased to see someone with autism doing something like that for a job,” she told the Press Association.

In the letter he writes that he discusses the challenges associated with autism and that he sees Hegerty as an inspiration. He says he hopes he can have a ‘cool job’ like her one day too.

“I think you are very brave for going in the jungle, I couldn’t go there because there are too many bugs.

“You are very clever,” he added, before saying: “Some 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.”

He also said he had drawn a picture of ‘Thunderbird 2’ for Hegerty which her fan group ‘TeamAnne’ on Twitter requested to see. His mother happily obliged.

The Chase star, known as ‘The Governess,’ has talked frankly on I’m a Celebrity about her Aspergers diagnosis in 2005. The 60-year-old spoke of how hard it was to not receive a dignosis until her mid 40’s and already seems to be finding camp life very challenging.

On Sunday night’s episode she told EastEnders actress Rita Simons she was close to leaving the show, just hours after arriving. The National Autistic Society has praised the campmates for offering their support to Hegerty.

Ms Jarvis also shared the exciting news to an elated Joseph that the letter has been sent from the people behind Thunderbirds and they are ‘going to send him a little something.’

Several celebrities have also voiced their support for Hegerty in the jungle including Rylan Clark-Neal who posted on Twitter that ‘you can do it!!!’

I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! continues nightly on ITV.

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