The Chase Pair Make History With £100,000 Win After Paul Sinha’s Last-Second Mistake

Ian and Karen were delighted when they won £50,000 each on The Chase after facing Paul Sinha in a head-to-head. Picture: ITV

Two The Chase contestants walked away with an extraordinary £100,000 after a tense Final Chase against Paul Sinha came down to the final second.

Ian, 63, and Karen, 54, each took home £50,000 following a dramatic finish that left host Bradley Walsh celebrating alongside them and The Sinnerman visibly frustrated by a costly late mistake.

But reaching that £100,000 jackpot required one contestant to make an enormous gamble first.

Karen Risks Everything on £94,000

The final question that Paul got wrong, which ultimately sealed the deal for Ian and Karen, was: “Leslie Manville played the widow Cathy in what BBC sitcom?”

The episode began with four contestants — Ian, Karen, Jennie and Gregor — taking on Paul.

Jennie and Gregor were eliminated during their individual head-to-head rounds, leaving Ian and Karen as the only players to reach the final.

Ian, a magician from Middlesex, had already secured £6,000 when Karen, a tutor from Cheshire, arrived at the table.

She was then presented with a huge £94,000 offer.

Calling it a “once in a lifetime” opportunity, Karen decided to take the risk rather than play for a safer amount.

Even Paul appeared impressed by the decision, applauding Karen before she faced him.

She survived the head-to-head and returned to the team, instantly transforming Ian’s £6,000 into a combined £100,000 jackpot.

A Target of 16 Leaves the Pair Vulnerable

The Chaser, Paul Sinha, was gutted by the mistake he made, leading Karen and Ian to win the £100,000. Picture: ITV

Despite building such a huge prize fund, Ian and Karen managed a target of only 16 in the Final Chase.

It appeared achievable for a Chaser of Paul’s calibre.

But the pressure quickly began to tell.

Paul produced six incorrect answers during his pursuit, while Ian and Karen successfully pushed him back twice.

The clock continued falling, yet Paul remained close enough to threaten their entire £100,000 prize.

Then came one final question.

One Second Separates Them From £100,000

Bradley asked Paul which BBC sitcom featured Lesley Manville as the widow Cathy.

Under intense time pressure, Paul answered Last of the Summer Wine.

It was wrong.

The correct answer was Mum, and Paul appeared to realise his mistake almost immediately.

Ian and Karen were also unable to provide the correct answer, guessing EastEnders. But by that stage, it no longer mattered.

There was just one second remaining.

Paul had run out of time.

The buzzer sounded and Ian and Karen immediately threw their hands into the air as the reality of what had happened sank in: they had just secured £100,000 between them.

£50,000 Each After a Huge Gamble

The victory meant Ian and Karen walked away with £50,000 apiece.

Before the result, Ian had said he hoped to put any winnings toward a new car, while Karen had talked about taking her family on holiday to Abu Dhabi.

Karen’s decision to accept the enormous £94,000 offer ultimately made those plans considerably more ambitious.

What initially looked like a risky gamble had become a history-making The Chase victory — decided by Paul Sinha’s mistake with barely a second left on the clock.

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