The Chase star Mark Labbett has directly refuted what he describes as 'unfair' viewer complaints, following an episode where he employed a ruthless tactical approach to secure victory. Mark, who is widely known by his moniker 'The Beast', has been a formidable Chaser on the ITV quiz programme since its inception back in 2009.
Narrow Victory in Tense Final Chase
In the episode broadcast on February 4th, Mark faced off against contestants Andy, Caren, Sophie, and Harri. After a series of intense rounds, the competition culminated in a Final Chase featuring Andy and Caren, with a substantial £7,000 prize pot at stake. The duo mounted a valiant defence, successfully pushing Mark back on four out of five attempts during the final showdown.
Ultimately, Mark clinched the win with a mere five seconds remaining on the clock, demonstrating the high-pressure nature of the game. Speaking to host Bradley Walsh and the defeated contestants after the match, Labbett took the opportunity to address mounting criticism from viewers on social media platforms.
Labbett's Firm Rebuttal to Viewer Criticisms
'Can I address something,' Mark began, 'there's a thing on social media where people claim that it's unfair the Chasers can jump in and interrupt you when the contestants can't. That is absolutely not true.' He elaborated firmly, stating, 'The contestants can jump in whenever they like, if they're brave enough or confident enough.'
He further explained his own aggressive tactic, saying, 'I'll put it another way, we jump in early because I had to there. So "what sailor? Popeye!", thank goodness it was right otherwise I'd have lost.' Mark concluded by praising his opponents, adding, 'Very well played guys. One more player, they win that.'
Contrasting Episode Sees Labbett's Defeat
In a starkly different episode, Mark's frustration boiled over in an explosive tantrum, where he slammed the table and screamed 'idiot!' after a disappointing performance. Host Bradley Walsh, 65, welcomed contestants Katheryn, Paddy, Kamal, and Savannah to challenge The Beast for a cash prize.
The team performed exceptionally well in their initial cash-builder rounds, accumulating a total of £22,000. They all progressed to the Final Chase with an impressive £13,000 prize fund, where they demonstrated remarkable teamwork by correctly answering 22 questions within the two-minute limit.
Mark appeared to struggle significantly, getting multiple questions wrong and being pushed back repeatedly. He ultimately failed to catch the team, resulting in a rare loss for the seasoned Chaser.
Fan Fury Over Contestant's Controversial Decision
Elsewhere in the series, viewer outrage reached fever pitch over a contestant's controversial tactical choice. Shane, a research scientist, alongside teammates Rosie, Sarah, and Peter, faced Chaser Jenny Ryan, known as The Vixen.
After earning £3,000 in his cash-builder, Shane opted for the dramatically lower offer of -£2,000 over a potential £67,000, despite advice from Rosie and Sarah to stick with his £3,000. Shane justified his decision by stating, '£3,000 seems good, I was thinking about that, but I might take the -£2,000 to be back with the team for the final chase. It's all about the end game here.'
This move provoked a storm of criticism on social media platform X, formerly Twitter. One incensed viewer posted, 'I have absolutely had enough of this show! Seat 4 has taken MINUS £2K For only £2K EACH!! This is an absolute disgrace! My eyes are bleeding! ITV are going to lose viewers if this is the kind of nonsense they are producing! The Chase? More like The Stupid! #TheChase.'
Other comments included, 'What is the point of this show anymore as the money is crap,' and 'Is his name Shane or Shame?' Tragically for the team, Shane, Rosie, and Sarah were caught in the final round, leaving them to go home empty-handed.
The Chase continues to air on ITV1 every weekday at 5pm, with all episodes available for streaming on ITVX.
