Anne Hegerty meets the boy who wrote her a heartfelt letter about autism

The Chase star Anne Hegerty finally got to meet the young boy who wrote her a heartfelt letter about their shared autism.

During Anne’s stint in the I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here jungle in Australia, 11-year-old Joseph Hughes wrote the Chaser a letter thanking her for opening up about autism.

‘To Anne. My name is Joseph Hughes and I am 11. I live in Preston, Lancashire and I go to a specialist school,’ wrote the young boy.

‘I was diagnosed with autism when I was 5. I like to watch you on The Chase and now I have been watching you in the Jungle.

‘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. Sometimes 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.

‘Do you like Thunderbirds? I love them. My favourite is Thunderbird 2. I have drawn you a picture I hope you like it. ‘Good luck in the Jungle I hope you win. Love from Joseph.’

The heartwarming letter made its way around the internet with over 21,000 shares on Twitter and nearly 5000 comments appreciating how ‘spectacularly awesome’ the young boy is.

It was even shared by last year’s winner of the show, Made in Chelsea’s Georgia Toffolo.

And now the adorable super fan finally got to meet his quizzer hero.

Appearing on This Morning with his mother, the 11-year-old showed Anne drawings of his favourite Thunderbirds, saying: 'I drew these Thunderbirds [for you] by myself. It’s really good to meet Anne'.

Anne, who was candid on the reality show about her condition, told This Morning hosts Phillip and Rochelle 'if people wanted to talk about it and ask me about it then I was very happy to talk about it'.

And, she was equally enthusiastic to meet her young fan.

When Joseph came into the studio she told him: ‘It’s so lovely to meet you Joseph, as soon as I saw the letter, I thought I would like to write back to you or meet you'.

'I don’t know as much about Thunderbirds as you do!' she added.

Viewers were excited to see the charming little one united with his hero, taking to Twitter to express their emotion.

‘Oh my heart!!!!!’ wrote one fan, ‘this woman is unreal wrote another’.

We’re glad Joseph and Anne finally got to meet each other. Too cute!