The Chase's Anne Hegerty, aka 'The Governess', 59 has hit out at working mums, saying those that work part-time should be paid less than men

The Chase's Anne Hegerty has hit out at working mums, saying those that work part-time should be paid less than men.

Anne, 59, from Wood Green, North London, was asked about men being paid more than women.

Hegerty, also known as 'The Governess' on the ITV quiz show The Chase, replied by saying women working less hours than men because they took time off to look after their children should be paid less.

Anne, host of new game show Britain's Brightest Family, defended the gender pay gap, adding she was happy she had never had kids.

'You're not doing the same job if you're not putting in the same hours,’ she said.

'Think of the times you ring an office and you're told, 'she only works Thursday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

'So I rather hope she is only getting two or three fifths of what the men get, because she isn't putting in the hours.'

The quiz master claimed she dodged a bullet by not having children of her own, told The Sun.

But she did also add she was not in a position to have kids, admitting she used to mind but now she feels as if she has escaped a burden.

In August last year she was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, which is a form of autism.

Anne, host of new game show Britain's Brightest Family, defended the gender pay gap, adding she was happy she had never had kids. Pictured: Anne with the other 'Chasers'

She explained: 'When you're on the autistic spectrum, one of the things you do, it's what's called perseverating... You get interested in something and you just get really interested, you just have to know everything about it.

'You go completely down the rabbit hole, you can't think about anything else, you have to learn everything there is to know about this particular subject.

'I find it takes me about six weeks before it's sort of dwindled to an interest - not an obsession. But by that time I have now got a special subject I now know a tonne of stuff about.'