A former contestant on ITV's The Chase has disclosed that winners are advised not to share their prize money with teammates who were eliminated during the show. Steven Sneade, 69, from Liverpool, revealed the details to the Daily Mail after his appearance on the popular quiz programme.
Sneade explained that winning contestants must sign a contract when accepting the prize fund. Producers explicitly told them not to give money to those who didn't win, even out of sympathy. 'They can't stop you, but I think they just don't want you to have that in mind,' he said. He added that while the show warned it could take up to three months to receive the winnings, he received his within a week.
The Chase, hosted by Bradley Walsh since 2009, features a team of four contestants who compete against a 'Chaser'—one of six expert quiz players including Mark Labbett, Shaun Wallace, Anne Hegerty, Jenny Ryan, Darragh Ennis, and Paul Sinha. If the team answers more questions correctly in the final round, they split the accumulated prize fund among those who survived the earlier individual rounds.
Walsh, 65, has no plans to leave the show, stating he will continue as long as audiences remain engaged. 'Until people say they've had enough and start switching off, I'll do it,' he said. He recalled the pilot episode in 2008, where he immediately sided with the contestants against the Chasers, a dynamic that helped establish the show's tone.
The Chase has produced numerous spin-offs, including celebrity specials and a version where contestants face all six Chasers. International adaptations have aired in over 20 countries, with some UK Chasers appearing in foreign versions.
