The Chase viewers were left unimpressed after players lost during the lastest episode

What’s undeniable is that The Chase, usually celebrated as feel-good evening entertainment, has stumbled into one of its biggest scandals yet. Fans feel cheated, ITV is on the defensive, and the contestant at the heart of it all has become something of a cult hero, with supporters insisting he was unfairly robbed of glory.

The question now is whether ITV can repair the damage—or whether this latest controversy will permanently taint the show’s reputation. For a program built on trust between contestants and Chasers, regaining viewer confidence will be the toughest chase of all.

The Chase viewers were left unimpressed (Image: ITV )

ITV’s The Chase returned to screens with a new group of hopefuls playing for a chance to win a staggering cash prize, but viewers were left unimpressed.

During Tuesday’s episode (September 30), host Bradley Walsh introduced Connor from Manchester, Louise from London, Elliot from Hertfordshire and Irene from Dumfries, who tested their knowledge on the cash builder round and then went up against Chaser Paul Sinha.

After defeat, it was revealed that only Irene and Connor would face the Sinnerman during the final chase, which sees players answer questions to build distance from the Chaser, while the expert tries to catch them out.

However, as the challenge heated up, the duo struggled to answer enough rapid-fire questions within two minutes to fully utilise their advantage, as Paul managed to catch Irene and Connor before the clock ran out.

Having lost out on an eye-watering £80,000, fans took to social media with fury to slam the show and accuse bosses of giving the contestants harder questions.

One raged: “Shockingly, hard & cruel questions for the contestants.” As another echoed: “Ridiculously hard set of questions for finalists in @ITVChase tonight… And ridiculously easy set for the chaser…”

The players lost to Paul Sinha (Image: ITV)

The enraged viewer continued: “Why? Oh they were playing for £80,000 If ITV can’t afford the prizes they should leave the scene rather than take us for idiots.”

As one remarked: “That was a joke of a Final Chase!” A fourth added: “They didn’t have amazing cashbuilders, so the final was tough. Didn’t see them winning.”

Among the questions they failed to land was “Which American Dramatist wrote the play, Lost in Yonkers,” to which Irene answered “pass,” as Bradley revealed the answer was “Neil Simon.”

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Meanwhile, Conner looked perplexed to discover that “the most popular city in Poland” wasn’t Krakow but, in fact, Warsaw.

Jenny announced exciting news (Image: ITV )

After the buzzer went off, a devastated Irene turned to Connor and admitted: “That was rubbish, so rubbish.” This prompted Bradley to commend their effort: “That wasn’t rubbish,” as he confessed: “I thought they were tricky to be fair.”

These complaints come just days after chaser Jenny Ryan announced a major career move away from The Chase.

The beloved ITV quiz show The Chase has found itself at the center of a heated storm after its latest finale left fans seething with accusations of unfairness, favoritism, and even outright rigging. What should have been another nail-biting conclusion to the hit game show instead turned into a social media battlefield, with viewers furious over what they’re calling a “brutal elimination” that cost a contestant a life-changing prize.

The controversy erupted during the final round, where the last remaining contestant had battled valiantly to reach the head-to-head with one of the Chasers. With an impressive cash total on the line, the audience at home was glued to their screens as the player answered question after question under immense pressure. But when the Chaser swooped in and overtook them with seconds to spare, the outcome left fans unconvinced that everything was as fair as it seemed.

On the surface, it looked like another typical finale: tense music, fast-paced questions, and the kind of razor-thin finish that has long made the show a ratings winner. But keen-eyed viewers were quick to point out a series of suspicious factors. Some claimed the contestant was asked disproportionately difficult questions, while the Chaser appeared to receive a string of easier ones. Others argued that the clock management seemed inconsistent, with one fan tweeting, “Funny how the timer lags when the Chaser is answering but flies when the contestant is up. Feels dodgy to me.”

The uproar only grew louder after the episode aired, with hashtags like #ChaseFix and #TheyRobbedHim trending across social media. “This was the most rigged finale I’ve ever seen,” one outraged viewer posted. Another fumed, “ITV needs to explain this—he earned that money fair and square, but they stitched him up!” The sheer volume of complaints forced ITV’s social media team to disable comments on some of their official posts promoting the episode, a move that only stoked speculation further.

Longtime fans of the show noted that this isn’t the first time The Chase has faced accusations of being stacked against contestants. Over the years, there have been repeated claims that editing choices, question selection, and pacing sometimes favor the Chasers, who are, of course, the stars of the show. But rarely has the backlash been this ferocious. With viewers calling for ITV to “come clean” about how the show is structured, the network now faces an uncomfortable PR headache.

Part of the outrage stems from the contestant at the heart of the controversy. Described as charismatic, clever, and underdog-like, he had quickly won over viewers with his charm and determination. Watching him claw his way to the final made his abrupt loss all the more painful for fans who felt invested in his journey. “He was the best contestant they’ve had in ages,” one user wrote. “He deserved the win—and they robbed him in broad daylight!”

Entertainment insiders have weighed in on the uproar, pointing out that game shows thrive on drama and tension but walk a fine line when audiences begin to suspect foul play. “The Chase has built its reputation on being both entertaining and fair,” one TV analyst explained. “But if viewers lose faith in that fairness, the entire format is at risk. ITV needs to reassure audiences quickly before this controversy snowballs further.”

Meanwhile, the Chasers themselves have remained silent, with none of the show’s stars addressing the accusations directly on their social platforms. For fans, the silence has been deafening, as many expected at least one of them to defend the integrity of the game. Instead, the void has been filled with conspiracy theories, ranging from claims of deliberate rigging to suggestions that ITV manipulates outcomes to ensure bigger ratings.

The incident also raises larger questions about the nature of quiz shows in the digital age. With fans scrutinizing every second of gameplay on social media and slowing down footage to examine timing discrepancies, producers are under more pressure than ever to ensure transparency. Even the smallest perceived unfairness can spark outrage, and in The Chase’s case, the stakes are higher than ever as it competes with rival quiz programs for dominance in the crowded TV landscape.

For now, ITV has issued no official statement, leaving speculation to run wild. But with the controversy continuing to dominate online chatter, it’s clear the network will have to address it sooner rather than later. Whether that comes in the form of a clarification about how questions are selected, a defense of the timing system, or a simple reassurance that the show is not “rigged,” remains to be seen.

Taking to social media, the 43-year-old posted a brief clip showing her emergence from a set of sliding yellow doors.

Alongside the clip, the Vixen penned: “Here we go! I’m locked away in a big yellow Box – and I’m ready to face whatever challenge is there when those doors slide open. Yikes!!! 10 celebrities. The complete unknown. Welcome to The Box. Coming soon to @itv ”

The Box, which is scheduled to broadcast next year, will feature a group of famous faces confined in yellow containers before being moved to an undisclosed destination.

Once there, they’ll encounter various trials encompassing physical, mental, logical, and amusing elements. The game show, which will be hosted by Gary Lineker, will see the star-studded line-up ensure they tackle the trials effectively. The two poorest-performing personalities will then compete in The Duel.