The Chase

Race to build a cash pot, then defend it from a relentless trivia genius called The Chaser. The Chase is head-to-head quiz-show warfare with a villain.

Created by ITV Studios, The Chase premiered on ITV in the UK on June 29, 2009 with host Bradley Walsh and quickly became one of Britain's most-watched game shows. Its roster of Chasers — Mark "The Beast" Labbett, Shaun "The Dark Destroyer" Wallace, Anne "The Governess" Hegerty, Paul "The Sinnerman" Sinha, Jenny "The Vixen" Ryan, and Darragh "The Menace" Ennis — have become trivia celebrities in their own right. A U.S. version aired on ABC from January 7, 2021 to 2023 with Sara Haines hosting and James Holzhauer, Ken Jennings, Mark Labbett, and Brad Rutter as Chasers; ABC cancelled the U.S. version after Season 3 (2023). The UK version remains in production.

What makes it unique: The Chase flips the standard quiz-show dynamic: contestants aren't competing against each other, they're united against a single expert opponent. The head-to-head "Chase" round — where the Chaser literally races the contestant back down a trivia ladder — creates a villain archetype rarely seen in U.S. game shows. The final team-defense round (Final Chase) raises the stakes with a two-minute shootout for the entire cash jackpot. The UK version won the National Television Award for Best Daytime Programme in 2021.

Quick Facts

• Hosts: Bradley Walsh (UK); Sara Haines (U.S. ABC, 2021–2023)
• Network: ITV (UK); ABC (U.S., cancelled 2023)
• Premiere Year: 2009 (UK); 2013 (first U.S. attempt on GSN); 2021 (ABC revival)
• Seasons: UK: 16+ series (still airing); U.S. ABC: 3 seasons (cancelled 2023)
• Filming Location: Elstree Studios, Hertfordshire, UK

Learn more: itv.com/the-chase · Wikipedia