A 23-year-old contestant left The Chase viewers seriously impressed after delivering a standout performance against Anne Hegerty — and some fans were so convinced by her quiz skills that they immediately suggested she could become the ITV show’s next Chaser.
Hannah appeared on the popular ITV quiz show alongside Martin, Ian and Vickie, competing for the chance to take home a share of the jackpot. But it was the young civil servant’s impressive Cash Builder round that quickly caught the attention of both host Bradley Walsh and viewers watching at home.
The Chase: Fans thought Hannah should join Anne as a Chaser (Image: ITV)
The Chase: Bradley was blown away by Hannah’s performance on the show (Image: ITV)
Hannah impresses Bradley Walsh with £9,000 Cash Builder
Martin was the first contestant to face Anne Hegerty after building £2,000 in his Cash Builder. However, he was unable to make it through his head-to-head round.
Ian followed and successfully added £7,000 to the team’s potential jackpot before Hannah stepped up to face the Chaser.
When Bradley introduced the 23-year-old, she revealed that she worked as a civil servant.
The presenter couldn’t resist joking about her profession, telling her: “Oh you’re young to be a spy. They start them early.”
Hannah explained that she had graduated from Exeter the previous year with a degree in English and Spanish.
Away from work, she said she played recreational netball and admitted that she was “average” at it. She also revealed that she was particularly fond of baking and cooking.
Her ambitions for the prize money were equally personal.
Hannah said she would like to return to Spain, where she had spent a year abroad, so she could see her former students again and enjoy plenty of tapas.
If she managed to win more money, she hoped to take her father to Australia. She explained that he had never visited and that her stories from her own trip had left him jealous of what he had missed.
The Chase: Anne Hegerty was unable to stop Hannah making it through to the final (Image: ITV)
The Chase: Hannah and Ian made it through to the final but were beaten by Anne (Image: ITV)
Bradley was stunned by Hannah’s performance
Hannah went on to produce an impressive £9,000 Cash Builder, leaving Bradley visibly impressed by how well she had performed.
“Wow,” Bradley said. “That’s really good for such a young player, right Ian?”
Ian agreed, describing her performance as “Fantastic.”
Bradley then added: “Seriously, you’ve got to be thrilled by that.”
Ian and Vickie encouraged Hannah to play it safe and stick with the £9,000 she had earned rather than risk moving for a higher offer.
She followed their advice and successfully made it through to the final.
Bradley congratulated her, saying: “Hannah well done, good for you absolutely great job you’re through to the final.”
Viewers want Hannah to become a Chaser
Hannah’s performance quickly sparked a reaction among The Chase audience, with several viewers taking to Twitter to suggest that the young contestant could have what it takes to join the show’s elite Chasers.
One viewer asked: “#thechase Hannah could a future Chaser?”
Another was even more convinced, writing: “Hannah could easily be a future Chaser, she is superb #TheChase.”
A third fan posted: “Hannah on #TheChase should be a new chaser!”
Others praised her knowledge and confidence during the episode.
“Hannah is brilliant, she’ll be excellent in the final,” one viewer wrote, while another added: “Loving Hannah on the #TheChase she knows her stuff.”
The reaction reflected just how quickly a strong performance can turn a contestant into a fan favourite.
Not everyone thinks she’s ready for the Chaser role
However, not every viewer agreed that Hannah’s performance was enough to justify giving her a permanent role on the show.
One sceptical fan questioned why viewers so often call for contestants to become Chasers after a single impressive appearance.
“Hannah is quite good on a quiz show. Why do people think ‘she should be the next Chaser?’ Seriously, if someone gets more than five questions right people start screaming ‘next chaser’ WHY?????? #TheChase.”
Another viewer similarly argued: “A one-off performance on #TheChase doesn’t give automatic rights to be a Chaser.”
Despite the praise, Hannah ultimately could not turn her impressive individual performance into a share of the jackpot.
Hannah and Ian miss out on the £16,000 jackpot
Hannah and Ian both reached the Final Chase, giving the team a chance to take home £16,000.
Hannah’s earlier decision to accept the £9,000 offer had also given her two potential opportunities to reach the final had she chosen to take the higher offer.
But when it came down to the final round, the pair were unable to stay ahead of Anne Hegerty.
The Chaser ultimately prevented Hannah and Ian from claiming their share of the £16,000 prize, bringing their bid for the jackpot to an end.
Even without the prize money, however, Hannah had already made a strong impression on viewers — and sparked an unexpected debate over whether the 23-year-old could one day find herself on the other side of the table.
The Chase airs weekdays on ITV at 5pm.