The Chase (quiz show)

[jfjnpxmy]

my plan if i was ever on and was ever doing badly in the cash builder would be to shout an obscenity right at the end so they would have to do it all again. this would definitely work.

I said "bugger" on a wrong answer, they just made me re-do that one question.

[Norton Canes]

the execrable Tipping Point

Got to admit, Mrs Canes and I do make a point of watching the final round just before 5pm (or 6pm on +1) if we're both WFH. Will they be foolishly be tempted to drop the jackpot counter in the same zone as a double? Will they go for a 2 or 3 counter question strategy? If they go for dropzone 1 or 4, will they get a hard-on? (Ben does actually say 'hard-on')

[dontpaintyourteeth]

I enjoy Ben Shephard acting like he's struggling with a hernia whenever there's a bad drop. hrrnn

[GMTV]

I enjoy Ben Shephard acting like he's struggling with a hernia whenever there's a bad drop. hrrnn

I realise this is the most basic tier stand up shite observational comedy, but tipping point is basically the shitey 2p machines with a quiz show attached. Why not just do 15 to 1 again or something?

[Gulftastic]

Tipping Point is hilarious. ITV must screen so carefully to avoid  anyone with even average general knowledge.

[samadriel]

What do you make of Issa Schultz? I liked him when I watched a couple of Ozzy eps recently but he said something a bit Tory (can't remember what now) that creeped me out on Beat the Chaser. Might have been nothing. Good egg?

Everyone loves Issa, even a hopeless iconoclast like me (he's going on Dancing with the Stars this year, I don't watch that show, but he's a sterling choice). I haven't seen Beat the Chasers, so I can't really comment, except to say he's probably thirsty enough for laughs that he'd say something rash and stupid if it came up just to be silly. If he regularly said Tory stuff I'd hate the little fucker, that's why I think it was probably a glitch rather than a feature.

Anyway, my favourite Aussie chaser is probably Cheryl Toh / Tiger Mum ("Because she's so attractive!" [/Shelbyville]), I just love the corny "strict East Asian mum" character gags she sticks in there. Matt Parkinson / Goliath is another good egg, and it's a delightful window into his soul when he gets angry with himself for missing a question in the final chase; you can't picture him unleashing on the contestants like Mark, thankfully, he just really wants to get the Qs right. Plus he was on Get This a couple of times back in the '00s.

[Replies From View]

[Snrub]

Come on. Spill it.

Ok, so I was one of the early series of the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire reboot with Jeremy Clarkson and actually got in the chair. Doing a quiz show was always on the bucket list so no regrets there.

Don't really want to say the question I went out on just for doxing proposes but I used three lifelines on my 4k question, including asking that useless prick Clarkson (who didn't have a clue), went the wrong way but still took home 1k.

Thought it was a pretty difficult question for the level, most people I've told after thought so and neither person I chose for my phone a friend knew (including the one I used on the show). Anyway, this series was super quick turnaround, it was on later the week I filmed. I got home after I was knocked out to see an earlier episode from the series on tv - the first 4k question I saw was "Which chef campaigned against Turkey twizzlers" then another one was "Which band sung 3 Lions with Baddiel and Skinner". Fuck me, I was raging. The rest of that series I watched I wouldn't have hesitated at any other question at that level. Anyway, genuinely don't regret it, just fell the wrong way and had a fucking ball doing it and would love to do another quiz show as "redemption" to go a bit further , not even win anything.

One of the funnier bits of the day, was there was a guy sat next to me on Fastest Finger row who was maybe in his late sixties. I wasn't the first contestant on,so when someone else was playing, he completely uninvited started whispering what he thought the answers were quite loudly to me. I said I really don't think we should be discussing this stuff, we all had a mic on and had been warned. He asked why, and I said there had been quite a famous case of cheating on the show. He either didn't know or care and I was quite relieved I got on after so I didn't have to talk to him anymore.

Also it's quite crazy how many people see you on these things that you haven't spoken to years. People you used to work with messaging "I knew that I should be your phone a friend". Yeah fucking thanks for that one Jane who I haven't spoken to in a decade you just missed the cut

On the flip side, my wife's uncle had never even heard of the show before - wasn't like he didn't have a tv or anything. Mad.

[Ham Bap]

I've always thought on Who Wants to be a Millionaire that there must be some people who on the Fastest Fingers first round bottle it, nerves go, dont actually want to do the show anymore and get the answers wrong on purpose. I mean it must happen.
They'd be gutted if they just fire in any random answers without thinking and end up getting through.

[Replies From View]

I've always thought on Who Wants to be a Millionaire that there must be some people who on the Fastest Fingers first round bottle it, nerves go, dont actually want to do the show anymore and get the answers wrong on purpose. I mean it must happen.
They'd be gutted if they just fire in any random answers without thinking and end up getting through.

APPLESON

[Mobbd]

Fuck me, I was raging. The rest of that series I watched I wouldn't have hesitated at any other question at that level.

See, I worry about that. I generally get 6-9 correct answers on the cash builder at home but then, occasionally, there will be one that's a complete wipe-out for me. Sod's law tells me that would happen on the day were I to make it on as a contestant.

Thanks for your story, Snrub. Brilliant stuff. Damn right that you should have no regrets. What a fucking day.

APPLESON

Pahaha! Never forget.

[Snrub]

I've always thought on Who Wants to be a Millionaire that there must be some people who on the Fastest Fingers first round bottle it, nerves go, dont actually want to do the show anymore and get the answers wrong on purpose. I mean it must happen.
They'd be gutted if they just fire in any random answers without thinking and end up getting through.

Ha. I'd gladly never hear the Fastest Finger music ever again - was very nervous for that, but oddly calm doing the proper questions. Even with the question I didn't know, I thought well for £4k and three lifelines, I'll be ok!

I'd practised loads at home on Fastest Finger watching old episodes, and to be honest I was total shit at it, wasn't reading the question properly so I thought I probably wouldn't get in the chair.

On the day, you get to practise FFF in the studio, and with the pressure off I was fastest on all three goes - but actually that piled the pressure on as everyone I was with and the production team thought I'd easy get on.

First go live, just totally shat it, second one was outside my wheelhouse so was resigned to not getting on. Second person took an early exit, so was the third person on the question was about putting events from history in order. I got that right but was actually really slow, like 12 seconds, but everyone else shat it. The two sweetest words in the English language - De-fault!

[Norton Canes]

I realise this is the most basic tier stand up shite observational comedy, but tipping point is basically the shitey 2p machines with a quiz show attached

Yep. But as with any base-level quiz show, you watch it enough and you start bandying the terminology (ghost drop, rider, lateral movement) and talking tactics - though in the case of TP those do admittedly boil down to 'drop into the zone with the most counters'.

The other good thing about Tipping Point is that when someone wins a mystery event, you can tell (since they presumably express a preference in advance) how nice a person they are.

That hierarchy, from nice to c*nt:

Spa break
Hot air balloon
Glamping
Classical proms
Battle proms

[Uncle TechTip]

Thanks @Snrub , great story.

Probably doesn't matter with the quick turnaround but did you have to wait for your money? I'm fascinated by and always pointing out that contestants only get paid when the show is broadcast, which can be an incredibly long time. The other week a lad won 1% Club and in the press he talked about how it was recorded 11 months ago, and ever since he's had to wait for the nearly 100k prize, knowing that he'll probably get it, but uncertain when, and you better hope in that time Lee Mack isn't embroiled in a scandal with a runner, or one of the other contestants is a murderer. If it doesn't go out you don't get paid.

[Snrub]

It was still a bit of a wait for the money after broadcast, maybe a month, or six weeks. Definitely wasn't straight away.

The nightmare might be if you were on something and won big, but the showing was pulled because someone involved got arrested. Have heard of that happening and then the shows not being on until years later at 3am.

[Rolf Lundgren]

I've been on The Chase too. Was overall a great experience and satisfyingly surreal when you're on set. Occasionally you can glimpse yourself sitting there - Look Mum I'm on the telly!

Got through my cash builder and won the final chase with plenty to spare. The woman in seat 4 took a minus offer and the staff told her afterwards to not go on social media when it went out. I really wasn't bothered about her doing it at the time, maybe a little bit now, but she did it from a genuine lack of confidence rather than anything else. Before we even started two of the team said they'd take the lower offer so it didn't come as a surprise when she did it.

I had The Beast, and I am happy to confirm that he is a massive knob in real life, really stroppy and nasty to the production crew, also he called me a cunt when he thought I couldn't hear him.

Did you have much interaction with him? We had The Governess and literally the only time we spoke or saw each other was all on camera.

Once you're done there's a brief bit of legal compliance talk and explanation from a [very bored] production assistant, and then you're out. Absolute sausage machine stuff.

Totally identify with this. It reminded me of the Red Dwarf episode Back to Reality where Lister looks in the viewer and sees different versions of the crew. One minute you're the most important person in the world to them then you're getting pushed into the back of a taxi.

[jobotic]

So when a contestant says "I hope to put the money towards my trip around South East Asia in a month " the host should be saying "oh fuck off you rich twat well you can forget that because this isn't broadcast until November"?


Someone I went to school with was on The Chase and he spooned it in the first bit.

A good friend did Whittle on Channel 5 with Tim Vine but he didn't tell us until afterwards so no one saw it. He did well but didn't win it.

Someone my partner went to school with won £100,000 on Deal or No Deal.


I've never been on anything.

[Gurke and Hare]

Probably doesn't matter with the quick turnaround but did you have to wait for your money? I'm fascinated by and always pointing out that contestants only get paid when the show is broadcast, which can be an incredibly long time.

So in Bullseye when Jim counted the cash out on them on screen did a runner have to snatch it back the moment they got off the set?

[dontpaintyourteeth]

I reckon, with total humility obviously, that I would absolutely kill on The Chase. Sadly I think I'm too much of a sperg to pass the audition though

[Mobbd]

I've been on The Chase too. Was overall a great experience and satisfyingly surreal when you're on set. Occasionally you can glimpse yourself sitting there - Look Mum I'm on the telly!

Something I was wondering when watching an episode today: what are the ABC buttons like on the main Chase? Are they touchscreen buttons or are they raised pressy buttons?

I guess I'm just trying to visualise what it's like to be there and one of the horrors I imagine is some sort of slippery button not reading my sweaty finger pads and then Bradley going "out of time, you CUNT!!!" and getting me in a headlock.

[jfjnpxmy]

Did you have much interaction with him? We had The Governess and literally the only time we spoke or saw each other was all on camera.

Not a huge amount, but they had a break in filming and he came down off his little platform to grab some food and be a stroppy fucker. He was inordinately interested in my job at the time - lab analysis for an industrial laundry - and grilled me about that for a bit.

Something I was wondering when watching an episode today: what are the ABC buttons like on the main Chase? Are they touchscreen buttons or are they raised pressy buttons?

Something akin to keyboard keys, but a bit larger than standard. Really bodge job, held on by a combination of electrical tape and velcro. It's worth going on a quiz show just to see how shite the sets are up close.

[Mobbd]

Something akin to keyboard keys, but a bit larger than standard. Really bodge job, held on by a combination of electrical tape and velcro. It's worth going on a quiz show just to see how shite the sets are up close.

Beautiful. More than I could have hoped for.

[Rolf Lundgren]

Not a huge amount, but they had a break in filming and he came down off his little platform to grab some food and be a stroppy fucker. He was inordinately interested in my job at the time - lab analysis for an industrial laundry - and grilled me about that for a bit.

That's interesting, sounds like he was sizing you up.

There's an Oxford Union talk with Mark Labbett which is worth watching if you like quizzes and don't like Mark Labbett. He won't win you over. There's a lot of him explaining why he's brilliant at everything and often the reason is he's born that way.

He does have some interesting ideas about who they put in each seat and suggests that the Celebrity version is definitely easier and even tailored to suit their specialties. I also don't doubt that all the Chasers have to work very hard to stay up to date.

It's quite difficult to push the wrong button unless you get really confused. Very tactile.

[JesusAndYourBush]

Today The Vixen got asked gussied up versions of 'name an orange vegetable' and 'what country are marsupials from'. Not surprisingly she won.

[Snrub]

Today The Vixen got asked gussied up versions of 'name an orange vegetable' and 'what country are marsupials from'. Not surprisingly she won.

And the challengers were asked 'what are Sausages made out of', 'complete the phrase 'A watched pot never....'', 'What country is Kiwi Rail based in?' and  basically 'Name a horror film set in Texas?'.

Both team get gimmies, absolutely daft to suggest otherwise.

[lankyguy95]

Relatedly, I came across this documentary a while ago, set around the European Quiz Championship of 2006. Features nobody's favourite murderer, CJ De Mooi, as well as Mark Labbett, a young Jenny Ryan, and Beth from Eggheads, pre them being TV regulars.

Standard Kevin Ashman worship.

[oggyraiding]

The gimmick of Jenny as "the hot one" is odd. I mean, she is a beautiful woman, but all the pre-fight banter about how she's so hot she melts the dressing room, weird to sort of label her as the sexy one, almost objectifies her. Or conversely, Anne Hegarty being a big frigid frosty knickered battleaxe, when she actually seems pretty nice. I like the Irish one with the bola tie, he seems really pleasant but he is "The Menace" like he's a sex pest. Partner turns over whenever The Dark Destroyer is on as she finds him boring, but I feel like he's got a fun sense of humour. Paul Sinha is fine, The Beast is a cunt and married his cousin which is weird. Maybe they should play up the cousin fucking element of his character.

[Norton Canes]

I like the Irish one with the bola tie, he seems really pleasant but he is "The Menace" like he's a sex pest

Reasons

[The Lurker]

CJ from Eggheads being mentioned in this thread finally gives me the opportunity to let you all know that I recently walked past him on my way to work. Apparently he did a runner to Australia because he owed people a shit load of money. He looked a bit lost, presumably he was wondering where the nearest canal was from Newtown - everyone's favourite hipster suburb.

As for Who to be a Millionaire, has anyone been an audience member on the show? Because something I've wondered is, do you have to answer on the Ask the Audience lifeline? If you didn't know but had to guess, you could end up fucking over the contestant. If I knew the answer, I'd definitely be tempted to deliberately put a wrong answer.

[Dr Marbles]

I like the Irish one with the bola tie

Reasons

I distinctly remember him being introduced as 'The Dublin Dynamo' the first time he was on - absolutely criminal it took them so long to work out that someone whose name is D Ennis should be called The Menace.

As for Who to be a Millionaire, has anyone been an audience member on the show? Because something I've wondered is, do you have to answer on the Ask the Audience lifeline? If you didn't know but had to guess, you could end up fucking over the contestant. If I knew the answer, I'd definitely be tempted to deliberately put a wrong answer.

I remember reading someone (maybe another thread on here) that a decent proportion of the audience consists of the family and friends of the people playing the fastest finger first and they deliberately choose wrong answers in the hope the current contestant fucks up and their friend/family member gets another chance to get on the show.