BREAKING: The Chase Fans Left Fuming After Spotting One Detail ITV May Have Hoped They’d Miss
The Chase viewers were quick to spot a familiar clue during the latest ITV episode — with some fans realising almost immediately that the instalment was not as new as they had expected.
Bradley Walsh was back hosting the popular quiz show as contestants Spiro from Epsom, Brittany, originally from Los Angeles, Louise from Cricklade and Tony from Carrickfergus attempted to build a prize fund before taking on the Chaser.
However, eagle-eyed viewers soon began questioning whether they had seen the episode before.
And for some, the giveaway was Bradley’s hair.
Fans Say Bradley’s Hair Gave the Game Away
The episode had originally aired in 2024, but viewers said the continuity announcer appeared to introduce it as a brand-new instalment.
That immediately sparked confusion online.
One viewer wrote: “This ain’t new. @ITV what you are playing at? #TheChase”
Another posted: “Not the advertised episode. This is a repeat. #thechase”
A third simply wrote: “Repeat. #thechase”
Another added: “This is a repeat #TheChase”
But one fan appeared to spot the clue before the episode had even properly started.
“The announcer just said, a brand new episode of the chase. Brad’s Barnet will be the clue. #thechase,” they joked.
For viewers familiar with the show, Bradley’s hairstyle appeared to be enough to confirm that the footage had been recorded some time ago.
Contestants Take on The Vixen
Despite the confusion over whether the programme was new, the episode itself featured a full team of four contestants hoping to win thousands of pounds.
Spiro, Brittany, Louise and Tony made their way through the individual rounds before facing Jenny Ryan in the Final Chase.
Ryan, better known to viewers as The Vixen, was the Chaser tasked with stopping them from taking home the prize money.
But much of the online reaction focused less on the questions and more on frustration over ITV showing another repeat.
Complaints about repeated episodes of The Chase have surfaced before, particularly when viewers believe newer instalments are still waiting to be broadcast.
Mark Labbett Previously Addressed Repeat Complaints
Mark Labbett, known as The Beast, has previously responded to viewers questioning why ITV continues to show repeat episodes.
The Chaser suggested that reruns had increasingly become part of the broadcaster’s scheduling strategy.
“If they weren’t showing repeats of The Chase, they would probably show repeats of something else,” he said.
Labbett has also indicated that a number of episodes have already been filmed but have not yet aired, suggesting there is still new material waiting to reach screens.
His comments came as some viewers questioned why fresh episodes were apparently being held back.
ITV Cost-Cutting Measures
The complaints come against the backdrop of cost-cutting measures announced by ITV in 2025.
The broadcaster revealed plans to postpone some programming after a significant decline in advertising revenue.
ITV said the measures were expected to save £20 million while maintaining that no popular shows or jobs would be affected.
For The Chase fans, however, repeated episodes continue to attract attention whenever viewers recognise familiar contestants, questions or even Bradley’s appearance.
And this time, his haircut was apparently enough for some viewers to realise exactly what was going on.
The episode may have been familiar, but the reaction certainly was too — with fans once again calling out ITV over a repeat they believed had been presented as something new.
