The Chase has been dragged into a “fix” row after a frustrated viewer accused presenter Bradley Walsh of “making up rules” during a tense Final Chase — prompting The Beast himself, Mark Labbett, to step in and defend his fellow star.
The controversy unfolded during the ITV quiz show episode aired on January 20, when four contestants took on quiz giant Mark Labbett, better known as The Beast.
Only Ian and Marsha survived to the Final Chase, where they managed to build a score of 18 for Mark to catch.
But a question about King David and a disputed answer suddenly became the centre of attention.
The Chase found itself in a fix row after a viewer claimed presenter Bradley Walsh was ‘making up rules up’
Marsha and Ian were the only members of their team to reach the Final Chase – where something unusual happened
Writing on X after the episode aired, quiz titan Mark “The Beast” Labbett came to Bradley’s defence
“I can guarantee the adjudicator made that call”
Bradley Walsh asked: “In the Bible, King David saw which beautiful woman bathing?”
Mark answered “Jezebel”, but his response was ruled incorrect.
When Bradley then asked the team for its answer, Marsha called out “Helen!” before Ian immediately followed with the correct answer, “Bathsheba”.
However, despite Ian providing the correct answer, Bradley explained that it could not be accepted.
The reason was that Marsha was not the team’s designated spokesperson and had already given an incorrect answer without being nominated to do so.
Mark subsequently caught Ian and Marsha with just one second remaining, bringing their Final Chase to an end.
The decision left one viewer furious.
One fan locked horns with Mark Labbett on X after the episode aired
Despite Ian and Marsha’s best efforts, Mark managed to catch the duo with just a second remaining
Writing on X after the episode, the fan accused Bradley of “making rules up on the spot”, branding the decision “disgraceful”.
But Mark Labbett saw the criticism and came to Bradley’s defence.
“I can guarantee that the adjudicator made that call rather than Brad,” the Chaser replied.
The viewer acknowledged Mark’s explanation but argued that Bradley was still the public face of the programme and had been “let down”.
It wasn’t the first unusual moment on The Chase
The latest dispute is just one of several unusual moments that have recently left The Chase viewers talking.
In another episode, contestant Amanda from High Wycombe made headlines after deciding to play for exactly the amount of money she had originally wanted.
Amanda had explained that she hoped to win £800 because she had promised to buy her son a pair of expensive Balenciaga trainers.
She then performed strongly in her Cash Builder, securing £4,000.
Despite having the larger amount available, Amanda chose to take Paul Sinha’s lower offer of £800.
Her decision paid off as she successfully made it through to the Final Chase.
Bradley was astonished by what had happened.
“This is extraordinary,” he said, suggesting it could be the first time in 15 years that a contestant had appeared on the programme hoping to win a specific amount, secured exactly that amount as an offer and then successfully progressed.
Paul, however, offered a much more cutting assessment, joking that while it might qualify as “television history”, it was also a “terrible indictment of the state of society”.
Amanda then joined Eileen and Merrick in the Final Chase, where they played for £6,000.
Their run ultimately ended when Paul caught the team with 46 seconds still on the clock.
Contestant stunned viewers by asking the Chaser for advice
Another memorable moment came during a game against Anne Hegerty, known as The Governess.
Contestant Paula built up £6,000 in her Cash Builder before being offered the choice between £1,000 and the high offer of £66,000.
As usual, Paula consulted her teammates, Aaron and John, who encouraged her to take the £6,000 because they needed her back in the team.
But Paula then did something viewers said they had never seen before.
She asked Anne herself what she would do.
Anne said she would “probably” take the £6,000, agreeing with Paula’s teammates, although she also admitted that the £66,000 offer could be tempting.
Paula ultimately ignored the advice and decided to take the risk.
“I feel like I’m only here once so I’m going for the 66,” she said.
The unusual exchange immediately sparked discussion online, with one viewer admitting they had never seen a contestant ask a Chaser for their opinion before — and then ignore the advice.
With its unusual decisions, unexpected answers and occasional clashes over the rules, The Chase continues to provide plenty of moments for viewers to debate long after the episode ends.
The Chase airs weekdays at 5pm on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.