It came down to the final seconds.
The Chase viewers were left stunned after Paul Sinha, better known as the Sinnerman, narrowly failed to catch a team of four contestants in an extraordinarily tense Final Chase.
The team had managed to build a target of 21 correct answers, giving Sinha just two minutes to overtake them and prevent them from sharing a £46,000 jackpot.
For much of the final, it looked as though the Chaser might pull it off.
Paul Sinha lost on tonight’s The Chase – and it was VERY close
Paul Sinha closes in on the team
Sinha’s opening minute was relentless, with the Sinnerman firing through question after question and steadily eating into the team’s lead.
But the momentum began to change as the final approached its closing stages.
The Chaser stumbled on three questions, costing him valuable seconds and leaving the outcome hanging in the balance.
By the time there were only a few seconds remaining, the difference between victory and defeat had become almost impossible to separate.
Host Bradley Walsh continued asking Sinha questions as the clock counted down.
Then came the decisive moment.
With only three seconds left, Walsh asked the Sinnerman his final question. Sinha was still giving his answer as the clock expired, bringing the chase to an end.
The team had survived.
The Sinnerman was gracious in defeat
It went down to the very final second
“That was very, very close”
The contestants were visibly overwhelmed when they realised they had secured the £46,000 prize.
Bradley Walsh summed up the extraordinary finish with an excited reaction.
“How exciting was that!” he exclaimed.
Sinha was gracious in defeat, acknowledging just how close the contest had been.
“That was very, very close,” he said. “I think I played as well as I could have done. What thoroughly deserved winners.”
Walsh then praised the Chaser’s performance despite the result.
“I haven’t seen you perform as well, and lose,” the presenter told him.
“You had a great day and played really well, unfortunately it was those couple of deliberations.”
Those crucial moments ultimately proved enough to keep the contestants ahead.
Viewers were ecstatic for the team
Rarely does a team get such a positive reaction from fans
Viewers call it one of the best chases
The dramatic finish quickly sparked a reaction among The Chase viewers, with fans taking to social media to praise the contestants and the incredibly tight Final Chase.
One viewer highlighted the fact that all four contestants had contributed to the team’s performance, writing that it “made up for that team nobody went low an everyone had an input! Proper team that!”
Another viewer admitted they were having an exciting Friday because of the episode, describing the chase as “incredible.”
A third fan went even further, declaring: “That’s the best chase I’ve ever seen!”
With the £46,000 jackpot secured, the contestants could finally celebrate after surviving one of the most nerve-racking finishes of the game.
For Sinha, it was a rare defeat despite a performance he himself felt was as strong as he could have produced. But after two minutes of relentless questions, the difference ultimately came down to just a handful of crucial seconds.
The Chase continues weekdays at 5pm on ITV.