Viewers of The Chase were left furious after Friday’s episode (7 March), with many complaining online about the contestants’ poor performance. Bradley Walsh welcomed four new players hoping to win against chaser Mark Labbett, but the show quickly took a disappointing turn.
Contestants Jayne, Eileen, Matthew, and Keith each failed to make it to the final chase, which frustrated regular viewers of the ITV quiz programme. Mark, known as “The Beast”, showed no mercy as he eliminated them one by one.
Low offer causes viewer outrage
© ITVViewers were particularly angry at Matthew, an 18-year-old contestant, who chose to take the low offer of £500, despite earning £4,000 in his cash builder round. His decision triggered an immediate backlash on social media.
One viewer wrote: “500 quid, Jesus bloody wept. Are they trying to bore all the viewers to death?”
Another angry fan added: “They have no money in the bank, lost two players, and he takes the £500 lower offer!”
A third viewer expressed frustration: “£500??? Ah, for goodness sake. I’ve always loved this programme, but this past week has been absolutely dire.”
Despite opting for the lower amount, Matthew was still caught by Mark, adding further to viewer frustration.
Mark Labbett’s brutal honesty
© ITVFollowing the elimination of all four contestants, Mark made a brutally honest admission. He told Bradley and viewers: “I haven’t had one of these for a while.”
His blunt comment further angered viewers, who saw it as highlighting the team’s poor performance.
Viewers quickly took to social media to criticise the entire team. One wrote angrily: “All four contestants have been taken out by the Chaser! A useless Lazarus team tonight whose brains fell out of their heads whilst making their way to the studio! Why can’t ITV cast people capable of answering simple questions correctly?”
Another viewer commented: “My god, this team is dreadful.” A third asked: “Why do people go on when they know nothing about anything?”
A fourth viewer was so frustrated they added simply: “This show is becoming awful…”
Final chance disappointment
© ITVBecause all contestants were eliminated, the team had a chance to bring one player back for the final chase. They chose Jayne, 46, who had earned the highest amount during her cash builder.
Jayne answered only 11 questions correctly in the final round, a target easily beaten by Mark, who caught her with more than one minute remaining.
This disappointing end left fans feeling let down once again. Many took to social media to question why the casting choices had resulted in another poor episode.
Recent episodes spark viewer frustration
© ITVThis latest episode continues a recent trend of viewer frustration. Regular fans of The Chase have increasingly complained about contestants regularly choosing lower offers or failing to build large prize funds.
Friday’s episode appeared to amplify this irritation, with many viewers questioning the selection process for contestants.
One regular viewer said online: “This used to be the best quiz show on TV, but this season’s contestants have been awful. Sort it out, ITV!”
Another wrote simply: “This has become unwatchable.”
It remains unclear whether producers will respond to viewers’ ongoing complaints. However, it’s clear many viewers are increasingly disappointed with recent episodes.
Despite the complaints, The Chase remains one of ITV’s most popular quiz shows. It regularly attracts millions of viewers who tune in to see Bradley and the chasers, including Mark, Anne Hegerty, and Paul Sinha.
The Chase airs weekdays on ITV and is available on ITVX.
