Anne Hegerty, known as "The Governess" on The Chase, has disclosed that she experienced a stalking situation reminiscent of the Netflix drama Baby Reindeer back in 2012.
The 67-year-old quiz show star revealed that a female fan she had befriended made the drastic decision to uproot her life in London and relocate hundreds of miles north to Manchester, settling just three streets from where Ms Hegerty lived.
"There was a woman who I was being friendly with and got her wires crossed and the next thing I knew she packed up her home in London and moved to Manchester to live three streets away," the star explained.
The incident occurred shortly after The Chase began attracting a significant audience, at a time when the show's chasers were not yet widely recognised.
Anne Hegerty reflected on the success of The Chase | GETTY"Nobody knew who we were at first, I was trying to be nice.
"But people can overstep, especially if you're not used to having to set boundaries," Ms Hegerty recalled.
The ITV quiz show star, who serves as one of the programme's formidable brainbox chasers, acknowledged that the situation bore similarities to the acclaimed Netflix series about an aspiring comedian whose life is upended by an obsessive pursuer.
"It was similar to Baby Reindeer, but not as bad," she noted.
The Chase star said a fan moved from London to Manchester and settled just three streets from her home
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Ms Hegerty managed to discourage the woman's attention over time, eventually getting through to her without causing unnecessary hurt.
"I gradually fended her off and she got the message.
"I don't want to hurt her feelings, but I have to be careful with people who I befriend," she said.
Despite the unsettling experience, the quizzer has maintained a digital connection with her former pursuer, confirming that the pair remain connected on Facebook.
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Baby Reindeer follows the story of comedian Donny Dunn, who is relentlessly pursued by the fictional character Martha Scott, played by Jessica Gunning
| NETFLIXThe revelation came as Ms Hegerty attended the Tric awards in London this week, where she also discussed ITV's decision to pause filming of The Chase for a year, which will affect her earnings as she is paid per episode.
Ms Shaw is not the only high-profile figure to have endured a terrifying stalking or harassment campaign.
Lily Allen suffered a seven-year ordeal in which a stalker repeatedly appeared at her home before eventually breaking into her bedroom while she and her children were sleeping.
Keira Knightley was forced to relocate entirely after a stalker visited her London home repeatedly, drew chalk arrows pointing to her front door and meowed through her letterbox.
Furthermore, Claire Foy received more than 1,000 emails in just over a month from a man who also turned up at her sister's house and knocked on her own front door, ultimately resulting in a restraining order.
Fern Britton endured a prolonged campaign involving unwanted gifts and repeated uninvited stays at her Cornwall rental cottage, leading to a ten-year restraining order against her stalker.
The 67-year-old reflected on learning to set boundaries after finding fame on ITV
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Stephanie Davis faced a similarly unsettling pattern of messages, letters and gifts left on her doorstep.
Former BBC presenter Alex Lovell received hundreds of threatening cards and letters from a man who believed they were in a relationship and was subsequently jailed.