An unusually difficult question left even The Chase stars struggling during the latest episode, as Bradley Walsh branded it “horrible” and Mark Labbett was forced to dig deep for the answer.
The question came during 21-year-old student Julia’s attempt to secure a place in the Final Chase.
Asked, “How many copper half farthings were there in a pre-decimal British pound?”, Julia faced a challenge that appeared to catch both the host and the Chaser off guard.
Mark, better known to viewers as The Beast, buried his head in his hands when the question appeared. Despite his initial reaction, he eventually worked out the correct answer.
“I’m not too shabby with numbers,” Mark said, much to Julia’s disappointment.
The Chase star Mark Labbett couldn’t believe it when a “horrible” question came up. (Image: ITV)
A difficult night for the contestants
The tricky question was just one part of a particularly challenging episode for the four contestants.
Paul and Julia were both eliminated before Rachel accepted a lower offer of £1,000 in an attempt to secure her place in the Final Chase.
The team’s hopes of getting another contestant through ended when Tom was also caught by the Chaser.
That left Rachel alone to face Mark, with just £1,000 at stake.
“It’s a bit lonely over here to be honest,” she admitted.
Rachel was the only contestant to make it through to the final in tonight’s episode. (Image: ITV)
Rachel managed to answer 12 questions correctly, but Mark eventually caught her, bringing her attempt to an end without any winnings.
Despite eliminating her, Mark praised her performance.
“I’ve nothing but respect for you Rachel, unlucky,” he told her.
Viewers brand episode a “waste”
While Mark acknowledged Rachel’s effort, some viewers were far less impressed with the episode.
Several took to X to complain about the format of the Final Chase, particularly the fact that only one contestant remained and that the prize money had fallen to £1,000.
One viewer described it as a “waste of an episode”, while another complained that watching a single contestant compete for £1,000 had made the programme an “utter waste of an hour’s tv schedule”.
Another viewer called it “one of the worst I’ve seen in a long time.”
A further complaint focused on Rachel’s decision to accept the lower offer, with one viewer questioning the point of ending up with a one-player Final Chase for just £1,000.
The reaction showed how strongly some viewers felt about the unusually low stakes of the final round.
The Chase continues on ITV
Despite the criticism from some viewers, The Chase remains a regular fixture on ITV’s daytime schedule.
The programme continues to air on weekdays at 5pm on ITV and ITVX.