The Chase Viewers Cry Foul After Anne Hegerty’s Final Round Sparks Complaints Over ‘Easy’ Questions

The Chase viewers thought the celebrities were ‘robbed’Credit: ITV

Viewers of The Chase were left frustrated after a celebrity edition ended with Anne “The Governess” Hegerty narrowly defeating a four-person team chasing a £92,000 charity prize.

The episode, broadcast in January 2022, featured actress Catherine Tyldesley, Dragons’ Den entrepreneur Levi Roots, comedian Chris McCausland and musician Rick Wakeman. All four celebrities successfully reached the Final Chase, putting a substantial amount of money on the line for their chosen charities.

But it was the difficulty of the questions in the closing moments — rather than the size of the prize — that became the main talking point among viewers.

Celebrities build a £92,000 prize fund

Fans were not impressed with Anne’s “easy” final round questionsCredit: ITV

The four celebrities enjoyed a strong run through their individual rounds and entered the final together with £92,000 at stake.

They managed to establish a target of 18 steps, leaving Anne with a challenging but achievable score to chase.

As the clock counted down, the celebrities were handed five opportunities to push The Governess back. They successfully converted three of those chances, keeping the contest close until its final moments.

Anne nevertheless recovered and caught the team with only seconds remaining, meaning the celebrities missed out on securing the £92,000 for their charities.

The dramatic finish immediately prompted debate among viewers.

Viewers question the difficulty of Anne’s questions

A number of people watching at home argued that some of Anne’s questions during the closing stretch appeared noticeably straightforward.

One viewer complained that the ending had been tense but felt the questions given to Anne were too easy. Another argued that the celebrity team had been treated unfairly after getting so close to winning the money.

One particular question attracted considerable attention: Anne was asked to complete the familiar phrase “Time flies when you’re having…” — with “fun” as the answer.

For some viewers, receiving such a familiar phrase near the end of a £92,000 chase only intensified their frustration.

Others similarly suggested that the Final Chase should feature a consistently higher level of difficulty, especially when large sums are at stake.

The criticism reflected viewers’ perceptions of the episode rather than evidence that the programme had deliberately made Anne’s questions easier. The celebrity team ultimately lost under the programme’s normal Final Chase format.

Another dramatic Chase episode had recently made headlines

Host Bradley Walsh was joined by four famous faces including actress Catherine TyldesleyCredit: ITV

The reaction came shortly after a separate episode involving Mark “The Beast” Labbett generated attention for very different reasons.

Contestants Simon, Trudy, Gurbinder and Tom all reached the Final Chase and succeeded in defeating Mark, winning a combined £21,000.

After Bradley Walsh congratulated the contestants, Mark briefly acknowledged their victory before announcing that he was leaving and walking off the set. He struck the set wall as he departed.

Bradley responded by apologising to younger viewers and saying that was not the way to react to defeat.

Mark subsequently addressed the incident publicly and apologised for his behaviour, explaining that he had been struggling emotionally before the game.

He wrote that his “mental health was shot” beforehand and said he felt his choices in that moment were either to walk away or break down in tears.

Fellow Chaser Paul Sinha publicly offered his support, arguing that Mark should not have to apologise for simply being human.

A Final Chase that divided viewers

Mark gave up after admitting defeat

Mark thumped the set wall as he stormed off the set

For Catherine Tyldesley, Levi Roots, Chris McCausland and Rick Wakeman, the celebrity edition ultimately ended in disappointment despite all four reaching the final and building a formidable £92,000 prize fund.

Anne Hegerty did what the Chaser is there to do: she caught their target before time expired.

Yet for many watching at home, the manner in which she completed the chase became more memorable than the result itself. The apparent simplicity of several late questions prompted complaints that the celebrities had faced a tougher path to the finish.

There was no evidence presented that the questions had deliberately been manipulated in Anne’s favour, but the narrow finish was enough to leave viewers debating whether the Final Chase had been as balanced as they expected.