The Chase Contestant Tim McCarthy Won £50,000 Weeks Before His Death — But Never Got the Chance to Spend It
Tim McCarthy produced one of the most memorable victories on The Chase, taking an extraordinary gamble that helped create a £100,000 jackpot. But the former headteacher never lived to see his episode broadcast — and he and his wife never had the opportunity to enjoy his £50,000 share of the prize.
The 64-year-old, from Tyldesley in Greater Manchester, died in July 2025 following an illness. His episode aired on August 27, about a month after his death, turning what should have been a triumphant television moment into an emotional celebration for those who knew him.
Tim had been terminally ill when he appeared on the ITV quiz show and knew he had only months to live. His widow, Rachel McCarthy, later revealed that competing on The Chase had been one of the things he desperately wanted to do.
“He was so excited when he was selected for the show even though he was very ill,” she recalled.
Tim Said He Was There ‘To Have Fun’
Tim appeared alongside Lorcan, Shirin and Julie as the team faced Jenny “The Vixen” Ryan.
Money did not initially appear to be his main motivation. During the programme, Tim told host Bradley Walsh that he was there for the experience.
“I genuinely don’t want any money. I’m here to have fun,” he said, while also joking about putting any winnings towards work on his conservatory.
His Cash Builder hardly suggested that an enormous jackpot was coming.
Tim earned just £1,000 before facing Jenny. The Vixen then put a dramatically different option in front of him: a high offer of £95,000.
Tim went for it.
The gamble paid off. He escaped Jenny and returned to the team with the £95,000, which combined with Lorcan’s £5,000 to create a remarkable £100,000 prize pot.
With Shirin and Julie eliminated, Tim and Lorcan were the two players left to face The Vixen in the Final Chase.
They held on to win, splitting the jackpot and taking £50,000 each. Reports following the broadcast described the finish as extraordinarily close, with Tim and Lorcan defeating Jenny with only a second remaining.
Tim Kept His Diagnosis From The Chase
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Behind his remarkable performance was something viewers watching the recording could not have known.
Rachel later revealed that Tim already knew he was terminally ill.
He had also deliberately kept his diagnosis from the programme because he feared it might cost him his opportunity to compete.
“Tim was so scared they wouldn’t let him compete if they knew about his diagnosis. So he didn’t tell them,” Rachel said.
Appearing on The Chase had been part of Tim’s bucket list. A lifelong fan of the programme, he was determined not to lose the opportunity after finally being selected.
His illness also gave his victory a significance that only his closest family members fully understood at the time.
Only His Wife and Children Knew He Had Won
Because of the programme’s confidentiality requirements, Tim could not publicly reveal how he had performed before his episode was broadcast.
He did, however, share his secret with Rachel and their three children. Beyond that small circle, even friends were left guessing about what had happened in the studio.
Tim died before they found out.
When the episode was eventually broadcast, family and friends gathered at The Colliers pub in Tyldesley to watch it together. The room erupted when Tim’s extraordinary gamble was finally revealed and he and Lorcan defeated The Vixen.
Rachel remembered how much the victory had meant to her husband.
“He liked to punch the air when he won on the horses and this was a punch-the-air moment,” she said.
But there was another painful reality behind the £50,000 victory.
Tim Never Got to Enjoy His £50,000 Prize
Tim’s declining health meant the couple were unable to use the money for the experiences they might otherwise have enjoyed together.
“Sadly, we never got to spend his £50,000 prize as his health deteriorated and we couldn’t even go on a holiday,” Rachel revealed.
Tim also never got to watch the episode on television.
Instead, its eventual broadcast became a celebration of his life for the people he left behind.
Rachel described him as “the most clever man I ever knew,” while friend Stuart Keane remembered him as a “brilliant friend with a brilliant mind.”
A Life Spent in Education
Away from The Chase, Tim had devoted much of his career to education.
He had previously served as principal of Stockport Academy and as a deputy head at Avondale High School in Stockport. He had studied physics at the University of Manchester, graduating at just 19.
He later became the founding chief executive of Aurora Academies Trust and continued working in educational leadership.
That background made his appearance on one of Britain’s best-known quiz shows particularly fitting.
Yet it was the risk Tim took on the programme that viewers would remember most: after earning only £1,000 in his Cash Builder, he accepted Jenny Ryan’s enormous £95,000 offer, survived the head-to-head and ultimately shared £100,000 with Lorcan.
Tim did not get the chance to spend his £50,000 or watch that victory unfold on television. But when the episode finally aired, the friends and relatives gathered in his local pub were able to celebrate the moment for him — watching as a lifelong ambition ended with one of The Chase’s most remarkable wins.