The Chase has been a huge hit with viewers since it first launched in 2009 and now a former contestant has lifted the lid on what really goes on behind the scenes of the ITV show.
She revealed what Bradley Walsh was really like (Image: ITV)
A former contestant from ITV’s The Chase has lifted the lid on what really happens behind the scenes of the popular quiz show.
Since its debut in 2009, with Bradley Walsh at the helm, The Chase has captured the hearts of quiz aficionados across the country, delivering unforgettable moments. One such instance was when solo player Eden scooped up a whopping £75,000, leaving Bradley in stitches over the famously hilarious name of German skier Fanny Chmelar.
In 2009, Nicola Crawley stepped up to the challenge and impressed with a cash builder round of £8,000. Despite her valiant efforts, the 50-year-old fertility therapist didn’t secure the bag, bested by Chaser Paul Sinha.
Chatting on behalf of FruitySlots.com, Nicola opened up about her experience on the beloved gameshow, sharing insights about Bradley off-camera and recalling how Paul couldn’t hold back from ribbing a fellow contestant for accepting a lower offer – antics not shown on our screens.
Nicola shared some unaired chuckles to the Daily Star: “There were a few moments during the recording where Paul playfully teased the first contestant for opting to take the lower offer. These interactions were captured on camera, but not all of them made it into the final edit of the episode that was aired.”
Nicola also revealed that even seasoned TV host Bradley isn’t immune to the occasional slip-up. “Bradley Walsh stumbled over his lines a few times during the recording,” she disclosed, “which led to some takes needing to be re-recorded in order to get everything right for the final take!”
When it came to Bradley’s off-camera persona, Nicola noted a stark contrast. She observed: “No, he’s quite different when the cameras stop rolling. He’s naturally very funny but between takes, he was just taking calls and drinking coffee. He was quite quiet.”
Nevertheless, Bradley made an effort to engage with the contestants before filming commenced. “He came on to the set and went straight to speak to a runner,” she said. “He didn’t look at the contestants at first but then came over to us.”
The presenter offered some heartfelt encouragement to the team, expressing his support. Nicola said: “He placed his hand on the desk and said: ‘You’re the best pub quiz team in the land and I’m your fifth member. Let’s smash this’. He also said: ‘Don’t call me Bradley, it’s not Sunday’. He wanted us to call him Brad.”
Nicola’s experience began at 8am and wrapped up by midday, with a producer giving them a few trial questions to get into the swing of things before the cameras rolled. “They put the contestants up in a hotel the night before and picked us up from reception,” she said.
“The producers took us to the green room and started asking us trial questions to get us used to the format.
“We were asked to bring five different outfits and they checked them over to ensure there were no clashes or any logos or offensive items. We did our own hair and makeup initially but had a touch-up later. Filming kicked off at 10am and we were all done by midday.”
Nicola was taken aback by how much the studio resembled its television counterpart, despite looking like a warehouse, and noted it was quite chilly until Bradley made his entrance and the heaters were turned on. After the episode aired, the producers suggested they steer clear of social media for a “few days” to avoid potential trolls.
“They warned us about trolls and how they can be quite personal,” she revealed, adding that despite the warnings, her curiosity led her to check online reactions anyway. “I did look online because I was curious and actually only saw positive comments.”
