The Chase viewers left reeling as contestant suffers ‘unbelievable’ defeat after shocking mistake
Fans of The Chase were left in disbelief during Friday’s (7 February) episode after a contestant suffered a crushing defeat following a costly error.
Viewers took to social media to express their shock, with one posting: “I cannot believe what I just watched!” while another wrote: “That was painful. How did they throw that away?”
The episode saw four hopefuls—Sarah, Arash, Suzanne and James—team up to take on chaser Darragh Ennis, better known as The Menace, in a bid to win a cash prize.
Strong start ends in disaster
© ITVFirst to take on the challenge was Sarah, a 41-year-old optical advisor. She performed well in the cash builder round, securing an impressive £6,000
Opting to stick with the middle offer, Sarah took on Darragh in what seemed to be a promising head-to-head. She answered her first few questions correctly, pulling ahead of the chaser.
Host Bradley Walsh was impressed, telling her: “Chaser remains three behind, one more and we’re home and dry. You’ve played really well.”
But disaster struck when Sarah hesitated over a punctuation question, allowing Darragh to catch up. As she stumbled, he gained momentum, ultimately eliminating her from the game.
Bradley was visibly surprised, saying: “I mean, I’ve got to be honest, we were four ahead! What happened?”
Fans react to the ‘unbelievable’ mistake
© ITVFollowing her loss, Darragh offered some words of sympathy, though he admitted the mistake would haunt her: “You were streets ahead, you should have got home. That colon question… you’ll be thinking about that one for the rest of your life.”
Viewers wasted no time sharing their reactions on X (formerly Twitter).
© ITVOne viewer wrote: “How on earth did she lose that? That was one of the easiest questions ever!” Another agreed, saying: “Absolutely insane choke. I still can’t believe she lost that.”
A third added: “That was the biggest slip-up I’ve ever seen on this show. Gutted for her!”
A tough game for the team
© ITVSarah wasn’t the only contestant to struggle. Arash and Suzanne also failed to make it through their rounds, leaving just James in the final chase.
Despite building an impressive £80,000 pot, he ultimately fell short, as Darragh answered quickly and confidently to defeat him.
The Chase continues weekdays at 5pm on ITV1.
