Behind the bright lights and laughter of ITV’s The Chase, some contestants’ stories have taken unexpected, devastating turns.

Not all of The Chase’s victories have ended in joy.

(Image: ITV)

ITV’s The Chase has given viewers some of the most nail-biting quiz show moments on television. Hosted by Bradley Walsh, the hit daytime show has made stars out of its Chasers and household names of everyday contestants brave enough to take them on.

But alongside the laughter, light-hearted banter and life-changing wins, there have been moments of real sadness. Over the years, several contestants’ journeys have ended in tragedy – with some losing their lives just weeks after recording their episode, and others seeing personal heartbreak overshadow their hard-earned victories.

Here are five of the most devastating stories linked to The Chase and its spin-off Beat the Chasers:

£100k winner who passed away weeks later

One of the saddest stories came this summer with the loss of Tim McCarthy, a 64-year-old former headteacher from Tyldesley, Greater Manchester.

Tim stunned viewers with an extraordinary performance, winning a life-changing £100,000 jackpot against Jenny “The Vixen” Ryan. What audiences didn’t know at the time was that Tim had been diagnosed with a terminal illness before filming. He chose to go ahead with the show, knowing his time was limited.

His widow, Rachel, later revealed: “Only myself and our three children knew he had won.” Because of ITV’s strict rules, Tim carried the secret of his incredible victory to his grave. He died in July, just a month before his episode aired. Friends and family gathered in a Manchester pub to watch his triumphant appearance, celebrating the moment he never got to share publicly.

(Image: The Chase)

The actor whose joy turned to heartbreak

Another story that touched viewers came from Tom, an aspiring actor from Twickenham who appeared in December 2024.

Tom had only just left the army when he found himself on the show, mistakenly thinking he had applied for Hunted before realising he would be up against Mark “The Beast” Labbett. Despite the mix-up, he proved a formidable contestant, banking £6,000 for his team and helping secure a rare group victory worth £3,000 each.

When asked what he planned to do with the money, Tom said he wanted to buy a dog. True to his word, he welcomed a puppy called Sammy into his life. Tragically, Sammy was killed in a car accident – on 17 December 2023, the very day Tom’s episode finally aired two years after filming.

Tom described the heartbreak to the Express: “I had all these people messaging me saying, ‘congrats on winning, are you going to buy a dog?’ And I had to tell them, ‘I did, but very sadly he passed away.’”

(Image: ITV)

The ‘true gentleman’ who died before his episode aired

Perhaps no contestant charmed audiences quite like Pete Green, a grandfather, local trader and proud member of the steampunk community from Wymondham, Norfolk.

Pete delighted viewers after he introduced himself as a “semi-retired medieval trader” who also worked as a scare actor and even a “dinosaur hunter.” His charisma made him a firm fan favourite.

But Pete never lived to see his episode broadcast. He died in a tragic house fire on 27 June 2021, shortly before the show went to air. His son Ben revealed: “Dad was so excited about the episode. He talked about it daily up to the filming and then every week after.”

When the episode was finally shown, tributes poured in from fellow contestants and viewers. Chaser Paul Sinha called Pete “a true gentleman, a warm, engaging and thoroughly entertaining opponent.”

(Image: ITV)

Beat The Chasers winner who faced cancer battle

Tragedy has also touched Beat The Chasers, the primetime spin-off of The Chase. In 2021, Robyn Free took part in the high-stakes quiz, going up against all five Chasers and walking away with an impressive £40,000. She wowed host Bradley Walsh and the audience with her determination and sharp knowledge.

But behind her win was a personal battle. Robyn was living with cancer and later revealed how upsetting it was to see Bradley joking on-air that she had “scammed” the Chasers with her performance, a remark she felt was cruel given her circumstances.

In 2022, she died after choosing to forego further treatment and chemotherapy. In one heartbreaking statement, she said: “I would gladly give back the £40k in exchange for being cancer free.”

(Image: ITV)

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