The Chase made its return to ITV on Monday (January 26) evening with a fresh episode – and the contestants didn’t exactly have the luck of the draw.
Host Bradley Walsh welcomed four new players — Alison, Jim, Rose and Trevor — who faced off against Jenny Ryan, aka The Vixen, in a tense battle of wits.
What happened on The Chase last night on ITV?
Alison, a former teacher, was first to face the podium. She made a promising start, banking £5,000 during the cash builder. But that early success was short-lived, as she was eliminated only minutes into the head-to-head round.
Next up was Jim from Manchester, who quickly showed his quiz prowess. He secured £6,000 in the cash builder and successfully brought it back to the jackpot, giving his team some hope.
Then it was social media manager Rose’s turn. The London contestant struggled in the cash builder, missing several seemingly straightforward questions and leaving her with no money.
Host Bradley Walsh reassured her that others had been in the same position before and that it didn’t automatically rule her out of reaching the Final Chase.
Jenny laid out her offers for the head-to-head: a high offer of £65,000, a neutral £0, or a risky minus £1,000.
After conferring with the team, Rose opted for the low offer, reducing the jackpot to £5,000. Despite her shaky start, she redeemed herself by earning a spot in the Final Chase alongside Jim.
Trevor was last to take on the Chaser. He added £4,000 during the cash builder, but pressure got the better of him, and he became the second player eliminated in the head-to-head.
The Final Chase
With just Rose and Jim remaining, the duo aimed to win £2,500 each in the ultimate round.
They managed to answer 12 questions correctly in two minutes – but it wasn’t enough.
Jenny caught them with a minute to spare, leaving both contestants empty-handed and bringing an end to a rollercoaster episode.
‘These teams aren’t improving’
Viewers reacted passionately online, many unimpressed with the outcome.
“Absolutely embarrassing final chase tbh. Rose being there and contributing nothing was the icing on the diarrhoea cake,” one X user wrote.
“These teams aren’t improving,” another commented.
“Feel bad for Jim. He did alright. At least made some confident guesses most of the time when uncertain. Just burdened by a dreadful team,” a third added.
“The Chase is a joke now,” insisted another, while one more exclaimed: “Hahahha what the [bleep] was that.”
Read more: The Chase host Bradley Walsh stunned as he halts show to take shock swipe at Jenny Ryan