A contestant who once appeared on The Chase has lifted the lid on what host Bradley Walsh is really like when the cameras aren’t rolling — and revealed a surprising detail about the ITV set that left them in pain for weeks.
The long-running game show sees four hopeful contestants battle it out against a professional “Chaser” for a chance to win life-changing cash prizes. Bradley’s quick wit and charisma have helped make the show one of ITV’s biggest hits. But now, some former players have shared what it’s really like behind the scenes — and not everything was what they expected.
“Brad Was Nice… But Different Off Camera”
Posting on Reddit, one ex-contestant admitted that Bradley Walsh wasn’t quite as chatty as they thought he’d be during breaks in filming.
“Brad was nice but, aside from introducing himself, he never interacted with us during breaks,” they said. “It was different to hosts on other shows I’ve been on.”
However, they were quick to point out that Chaser Shaun Wallace made up for it. “Shaun was lovely when he came down to meet us after filming wrapped — he really won us over.”
The contestant added that their prize money arrived directly from ITV’s payroll a month after filming, rather than when the episode aired, which they noted is unusual compared to other quiz shows.
A Peek Behind the Scenes
The player also described their experience filming at BBC Elstree, where EastEnders is made, after auditioning at ITV Towers in London’s South Bank.
The taxi ride to the studio even took them past the plaza dressed as Holby City Hospital. “To me it was 1980s Grange Hill,” they joked.
And there were more surprises: a trip to the bathroom gave them a glimpse into one of the EastEnders studio sets, where internal street scenes were being assembled.
“The Most Uncomfortable Seats Ever”
Another Reddit user chimed in with their own story: “I’ve been on it. Brad was lovely — but it must be hard to live up to people’s expectations all the time. He’s professional, he acts up for the camera, which is not negative at all. He knows he has to entertain those at home.”
But they also shared one unexpected complaint: “The chairs the contestants sit on are the most uncomfortable seats ever! My back was killing me for weeks after.”
Still, Bradley wasn’t without his defenders. Another player wrote: “I’ve been on it. Bradley was so, so lovely and really put me at ease as they were setting up for my head-to-head. I think he could see I was visibly shaking.”
Fans Slam “Bizarre” Questions
The off-camera revelations come as The Chase faced a fresh wave of criticism from fans after a series of “grim and bizarre” questions in a vintage episode left both contestants and Chaser Paul Sinha completely stumped.
One tough question read: “The Rosetta Stone is inscribed with a decree on behalf of which Egyptian pharaoh?” The options were Rameses II, Ptolemy V, and Thutmose III. Both Paul and player Mark guessed incorrectly, prompting Paul to admit: “That was the hardest question I’ve ever seen on this show.”
Another question caused equal confusion: “The US Department of Agriculture requires what to be at least 35 per cent cooked meat and no more than 50 per cent bread?”
The answer — “sandwich” — stunned both the studio and Bradley, who joked: “Is this a wind-up? I’ll have to call the sandwich police. Don’t move, get on the floor.”
Paul picked “kebab” instead, believing it was the only logical choice, but was left shaking his head at the bizarre ruling.
Between the candid revelations of past contestants and the oddball questions that even leave the Chasers scratching their heads, it seems The Chase continues to be as unpredictable behind the scenes as it is on screen.
