The Chase gets record figure on day Darragh 'The Menace' Ennis joins as a new chaser
The Chase on Thursday got its highest ever viewing figure, as an incredible 4.9 million viewers tuned in.
Amazingly the Bradley Walsh hosted gameshow got its previous highest ever figure, 4.8 million viewers, the day before!
The Chase also set a daytime record, becoming the highest watched daytime show of 2020 outside of news updates and sport.
To put the figure in context, ITV bosses would be thrilled with those type of figures for a massive new drama on at primetime.
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The record figure coincided with the arrival of a new chaser, Darragh “The Menace” Ennis. ITV yesterday tweeted: “Welcome Darragh ‘The Menance’ Ennis.”
The 47-year-old, a scientist from Dublin in Ireland, is a former contestant on the show. He joins series regulars Mark “The Beast” Labbett, Anne “The Governess” Hegerty, Paul “The Sinnerman” Sinha, Shaun “The Dark Destroyer” Wallace and Jenny “The Vixen” Ryan.
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During his 2017 appearance on the show, Ennis helped win his team £9,000. Bradley joked when Darragh appeared on Thursday: “That’s another person cleverer than me on The Chase. I must have words with the producers.”
When Bradley asked him what he did for a living, Darragh explained all about his work as a neuroscientist.
“We figure out how brains develop, how they work, how memories are formed, but at a molecular level. So we use all the microscopes all the time,” he said.
Bradley quipped: “Welcome to the show… but BORING!”
The series has become one of the most popular shows on television. The Chase originally started in 2009 and has spawned celebrity specials and spin off Beat the Chasers.
Talking about the success of the show, Bradley once said: “For a start, the format of the show is exceptional. I’m very much on the contestants’ side, which is quite unique in a quiz show. It’s like I’m a member of the team and we’re all trying to beat the Chaser.”
It continues on ITV (see our TV guide for more shows to enjoy).
