I’M AN AUTISTIC CELEBRITY – GET ME OUT OF HERE!!

I’M AN AUTISTIC CELEBRITY – GET ME OUT OF HERE

What do the following have in common?

The Chase a game show currently airing on the Seven Network

Springbrook National Park, Murwillumbah, New South Wales, Australia

And Anne Hegerty?

Answer – Anne Hegerty is currently appearing in the reality show I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.

Now if you’re currently scratching your head wondering who the hell Anne Hegerty is and what is the Chase let me explain.

THE CHASE

Contestants play against a professional quizzer, known as the “Chaser”, who attempts to prevent them from winning a cash prize. One of the “Chasers” happens to be Anne Hegerty. Who plays a character called “The Governess”

SPRINGBROOK NATIONAL PARK

Is where they are currently filming the UK version of the show I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. To find out more about the park click on these links

https://www.npsr.qld.gov.au/parks/springbrook/pdf/springbrook-

guide.pdfhttps://www.npsr.qld.gov.au/parks/springbrook/pdf/springbrook-map-insets.pdf

I’M A CELEBRITY GET ME OUT OF HERE

is a British survival reality television game show, in which celebrities live in jungle conditions with few creature comforts. Anne Hegerty happens to be a contestant on series 18.

Have you worked out the connection yet?

Well Anne Hegerty appears in all of the above.

So what’s so special that she warrants a blog post I here you cry.

Well I’m glad that you asked me that.

The reason that Anne Hegerty is getting a blog post written about her is that

She’s the first Autistic Adult to appear on a reality show.

Look this is a big deal not only for the Autism community but for those tuning in, (i.e. the viewers this will give an insight into the life of someone who has Autism and can show the watching audience just how it affects her daily life)

Also it will also show how someone on the Autism spectrum copes with daily tasks and life in Springbrook National Park.

I know that camp life wouldn’t be for me.

I like to have my own space and not have my bed next to someone else.

I like routine. I wonder how Anne will cope without having that structure in place (I’m assuming that she’ll have to forge a new routine for herself whilst she’s there)

Other factors to take into consideration are this situation that she currently finds herself in is way out of her comfort zone.

I’m hoping that she has been allowed to take some items in so that she is able to cope like noise cancelling headphones, fidget spinners, that she’s been given if she needs it a quiet room so that if she is overwhelmed by anything she can go and calm herself down.

Here Anne explains what it’s been like so far for her after entering the show.

Anne told her fellow campmates that she was feeling overwhelmed within her new surroundings, and went onto explain about how she lives with being on the Autism spectrum on a daily basis.

After her chat, Anne explained that:

“I’ve started to think I think I can sort of see my way ahead being here on this reality show”.

“It’s also an Autistic thing when you’re trying to work out what to do.  I have to line up the mirror neurones up in my head and go this, this, this … It doesn’t have to be the same all the time but I actually have to work it out beforehand”.

Revealing she wasn’t diagnosed with Autism until she was 45, Anne said that her campmates had made her feel comfortable:

“I really appreciate how nice and sympathetic they’ve been to me and how supportive they are and it was nice that they said I actually pick up on social cues because I’m never quite sure that I actually do”

I for one am applauding Anne’s decision to enter this show.

It’s a positive step in the right direction where she can highlight and promote just how an Autistic person copes with everyday life.

I am unable to watch the show as it airs in the UK but I will keep up with her process via entertainment websites.

To read more about Anne’s life you can click on this link

https://www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/membership/magazine/current-issue/anne-hegerty.aspx

For Autistic Organisations in Australia please click on the link here

https://autisticnick.com/resources-2/

Carry on the Conversation

What do you think about Anne going into a reality show? Do you feel that it’s a positive move?

Let me know in the comments below.

As always, I can also be found on Twitter: @AutisticNick9 and at my email autisticnick9@gmail.com

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Thank you for reading and I will see you next time for more thoughts from across the spectrum.