In an extraordinary turn of events on The Chase, Karen and Ian, who first appeared on the show in September, bagged a whopping £100,000 prize pot, marking it as one of the top wins on the programme.
They faced off against chaser Paul Sinha and managed to stay ahead in a nail-biting final chase.
With things heating up and Sinha just one correct response away from snatching victory, a mistake led to Karen and Ian securing their hefty win. Bradley Walsh couldn’t hide his shock at the close call, noting how close Sinha came to winning.
In an intense moment, at 54-years-old, Sinha had victory within grasp but faltered on the question posed by Walsh: “Lesley Manville played the widow Cathy in what BBC sitcom?”
His guess, Last of the Summer Wine, was incorrect, allowing Karen and Ian to grab their slim chance at the prize. Although they mixed up sitcoms with soaps and didn’t score that point, time ran out for Sinha, cementing Karen and Ian as winners of the grand sum of £100,000.
This remarkable victory is another notch in the history of The Chase’s significant cash prizes, following a monumental £120,000 shared by three contestants in 2023, and a substantial £75,000 won by a young contender aged just 20.
In related news, Shaun Wallace, also known for his role as The Dark Destroyer on ITV’s The Chase, has recently spoken about his earnings in 2024.
Wallace, who was once a barrister, disclosed that he now pockets “a lot” compared to his previous occupation.
Shaun Wallace, known as The Dark Destroyer on The Chase, has disclosed that his earnings have skyrocketed to “six zero” figures, crediting his triumph on Mastermind two decades ago for the substantial boost in his income.
Despite being a well-known face on television, with 70 percent of his income derived from his TV appearances, he hasn’t completely abandoned his legal career.
Shaun still engages in legal work, which accounts for the remaining 30 percent of his earnings. In a frank discussion with The Times about his current financial status compared to his days as a barrister, Shaun remarked: “A lot. That’s all I’ll say.”
When asked: “How many zeros?” He then confessed: “Well into six-zero territory and my earnings have increased massively since I’ve started working in TV. I got paid well as a barrister but I’m now earning about ten times the amount I was before.”
The 64-year-old TV personality further detailed his financial situation, stating: “I still practise, though, so I have a dual income. Probably 70 per cent of my income comes from my TV work and 30 per cent from the legal side. Everything changed when I won Mastermind in 2004. Not just my finances, my whole life.”
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