The Chase viewers have raised an unusual complaint about host Bradley Walsh, claiming he appears to read questions faster to the Chaser than to the contestants during the crucial final chase.
The debate erupted after Bill, Laura, Emma and Gabriel faced Mark Labbett in the Final Chase, with £23,000 in the prize pot.
As the four contestants and the quiz expert raced against the clock, viewers watching at home began paying close attention to the pace of Walsh’s questions.
Some became convinced that Labbett was being given an advantage because the questions appeared to be delivered more quickly when it was his turn.
The Chase fans are convinced host Bradley Walsh has a sneaky way of helping the chaser catch up with the teammatesCredit: ITV
Fans accuse Bradley Walsh of reading faster
The Final Chase requires both the team and the Chaser to answer a series of questions against the clock, with the Chaser attempting to catch the contestants before they reach the end of the track.
After Labbett eventually caught the team, several viewers took to Twitter to question the speed at which Walsh had delivered the questions.
One viewer claimed Walsh read the questions “at least 50% faster” for the Chaser.
Another suggested that if Walsh read the questions to the contestants at the same speed, more teams might have a chance of winning.
Viewers believed that the presenter read out questions faster for chaser Mark Labbett tonight, giving him an advantageCredit: ITV
A third viewer complained that the questions were being read so quickly for Labbett that they were difficult to hear, while also arguing that the team had not been given enough time to respond to pushback questions.
The comments reflected viewers’ frustration after the four contestants ultimately left without any of the £23,000 they had built up.
However, the claims came from viewers’ observations and were not evidence that Walsh or the programme deliberately altered the rules to give Labbett an advantage.
The £23,000 prize disappears
Tonight the teammates, who had £23,000 in the pot, went home empty handedCredit: ITV
Bill, Laura, Emma and Gabriel entered the Final Chase with £23,000 in the prize fund.
Their opponents faced Mark Labbett, one of the show’s Chasers, in a tense race against the clock.
Despite the team’s efforts, Labbett managed to catch them before they could secure the money, leaving the four contestants disappointed and empty-handed.
The result prompted the discussion about Walsh’s delivery, with some fans focusing less on the Chaser’s performance and more on the way the questions sounded during the final.
Viewers had already been debating another contestant
The contestants Bill, Laura, Emma and Gabriel looked disappointed by the resultCredit: ITV
The reaction came just one day after another The Chase episode generated plenty of discussion among viewers.
Former vicar Les had faced Chaser Paul Sinha after choosing the minus £3,000 offer, despite fellow contestants Lynette and Jascha encouraging him to take the plus £3,000 option.
At that point, the team already had £15,000 in the prize pot.
Les ultimately chose the safer offer, which left him three steps closer to home and reduced the potential final prize to £12,000.
He successfully made it through to the Final Chase.
Les helps the team win £12,000
Despite the criticism surrounding his decision, Les later played an important role in the team’s success.
He helped Lynette and Jascha defeat Paul Sinha in the Final Chase, allowing the three contestants to share the £12,000 prize.
That meant each member of the team took home £4,000.
Even after the victory, however, Sinha made his feelings about Les’s earlier decision clear.
As the episode came to an end, the Chaser told him: “I still think you’re a coward Les.”
The comment added another memorable moment to an already dramatic episode and prompted viewers on social media to debate Les’s decision.
While some criticised him for choosing the lower offer, others praised Sinha for openly expressing his frustration.
The following night’s episode sparked a different kind of debate, with viewers turning their attention to Bradley Walsh and the pace of his question delivery during the Final Chase.