Host Bradley Walsh witnessed a moment of pure television history on the long-running ITV quiz show The Chase, leaving him utterly gobsmacked by an event that had never occurred in the programme's 15-year run.
The Moment That Made History
The remarkable incident unfolded as Bradley, 65, welcomed four new contestants—Merrick, Amanda, Andreas, and Eileen—to face the formidable Paul 'The Sinnerman' Sinha. Amanda, a magazine editor from High Wycombe, had a very specific goal from the outset. She revealed her intention to win £800, the exact amount needed to buy her son a pair of expensive Balenciaga trainers.
After successfully accumulating £4,000 in her cash builder round, Amanda was presented with the usual three offers from the Chaser: a high, a low, and a middle amount. Defying the typical gameplay strategy, she deliberately selected Paul's low offer of £800, staying true to her original pledge. In a twist of fate, luck was on her side, and she defeated The Sinnerman to secure her place in the Final Chase.
Bradley Walsh's Astonished Reaction
An amazed Bradley Walsh immediately addressed the camera, highlighting the significance of what had just transpired. "This is extraordinary," he declared. "I think this is the first time ever in 15 years that someone has come on for something specific and actually got the amount they needed, specifically for that amount and then got through. That's a funny old journey that!"
Chaser Paul Sinha then wryly added his own commentary on the situation, stating, "I mean, it's television history, but it's a terrible indictment of the state of society."
The Outcome and Another Recent First
Amanda joined her teammates Eileen and Merrick in the Final Chase, where they played for a combined total of £6,000. Unfortunately, their historic journey ended there, as Paul Sinha proved too strong, catching the team with a formidable 46 seconds to spare.
This was not the only unprecedented event to grace The Chase recently. In another episode, a contestant named Paula, facing Anne 'The Governess' Hegerty, did something never seen before. After her cash builder and upon receiving her offers, she turned and asked the Chaser herself for advice.
"Can I ask Anne what she would do?" Paula inquired, leaving everyone stunned. Anne suggested she would 'probably' take the safer £6,000, but hinted at the temptation of the £66,000. Paula ultimately decided to go for the high offer of £66,000, a move that left fans on social media platform X baffled, with many confirming they had never seen a contestant consult a Chaser.
The Chase airs weekdays at 5pm on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.
