The Chase star Mark Labbett rushed to defend host Bradley Walsh after furious ITV viewers slammed a controversial ruling.
The Chase’s Mark Labbett has defended host Bradley Walsh after a viewer branded a decision during the show “disgraceful”.
The quizzer, dubbed The Beast, features on the popular ITV programme alongside fellow Chasers Shaun Wallace, Anne Hegerty, Paul Sinha, Jenny Ryan and Darragh Ennis.
During yesterday’s repeat episode, Mark faced off against student Marsha and retired supply manager Ian, who had progressed to the final chase.
The pair were battling for a £45,000 prize pot, having answered 18 questions correctly. Under the show’s rules, the contestants can push Mark back by correctly answering questions he gets wrong.
During the round, both the Chaser and contestants were posed the question: “In the Bible, King David saw which beautiful woman bathing?”, reports the Express.
The Beast responded: “Jezebel,” which was incorrect.
Ian hesitated: “I can’t think of anything,” whilst Marsha interjected with “Helen”, as Ian simultaneously offered: “Bathsheba”.
Bradley explained: “Bathsheba is correct, however, Marsha without nomination looked at me and called the answer first, which was Helen.
“I have to accept the first answer and have to tell you that is wrong, we remain eight to catch.”
One viewer was left fuming, taking to X to complain: “Disgraceful making rules up on the spot. Brad.”
Another furious viewer wrote: “cheating b******s on #thechase. Both gave answers at the same time. So it should have been clarified which answer was to be taken. If Marsha hadnt been nominated as Walsh claimed, her answer should have been ignored.”
“Now that was just cruel! Rematch needs to happen,” someone else wrote, while another said: “Absolutely robbed.”
One viewer said: “Very very harsh – Brad should have asked the spokesperson to answer – ref Bathsheba … very unlucky.”
Another called it “gutting”, and several said the players were “robbed” after the “brutal” round.
Another added: “Brad should have taken Ian’s answer as he was the nominated player to give their answers to push backs. Or at least asked them which answer they wanted to offer.”
Another person defended Bradley’s comment, writing: “Marsha piped up with “Helen” when Brad asked for the final answer, fractionally quicker than Ian with “Bathsheba”. That’s why the answer wasn’t allowed. How I see it.”
Another claimed: “Technically, Marsha wasn’t the spokesperson so her Helen answer should have been overlooked.”
Mark later rushed to the defence of Bradley, saying it had never been his decision.
He wrote on X: “I can guarantee that the adjudicator made that call rather than Brad.”
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Mark has previously addressed the gameshow being “fixed”, remarking: “We do have people say, ‘They give you the answers though, right?’
“I always point out that we’re all international quizzers, I mean, Anne is a two-time work ladies champion.
“They think you can’t be that good and the answer is we are.”
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The Chase airs weekdays at 5pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
