A former Strictly Come Dancing contestant has said they want to return to the BBC show
Anita Rani says she was “robbed” on Strictly(Image:
BBC
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Anita Rani, the Countryfile star and former Strictly Come Dancing contestant, has confessed she’ll “never get over” her time on the dance show. The 48 year old telly favourite took part in the BBC competition a decade ago, narrowly missing out on the final by just two weeks.
She was partnered with professional dancer Gleb Savchenko during her stint on the show, which saw The Wanted’s Jay McGuiness and his partner Aliona Vilani take home the coveted Glitterball Trophy.
Soap stars Georgia May Foote of Coronation Street and EastEnders‘ Kellie Bright were the runners-up that year. However, Anita is still convinced she was “robbed” of a place in the final alongside Aliona.
In a chat with The Sun’s TV Magazine, she revealed: “I wish I could do it again – I think they should bring back ‘the robbed’! I’ll never get over it, I should have got to the final.”
During the semi-final, Anita found herself in the dreaded dance-off against BBC presenter Katie Derham. Despite giving it her all, it was Katie and her partner Anton Du Beke who progressed to the grand finale, reports Wales Online.
Anita confessed that she used to turn down reality shows like Strictly, but has recently decided to say “yes” if the “offer arise”. Since then, she’s appeared on popular programmes such as Celebrity Gogglebox, The Chase, and Blankety Blank.
She even hinted that she’d consider joining the cast of Celebrity Traitors if the BBC decides to commission a second series. Meanwhile, Anita and her dad Bal are gearing up for their appearance on Celebrity Race Across the World.
She added: “I used to say no to other reality shows, but now I’m like: ‘If an offer arises, why not?’ The Traitors, I’m A Celeb… But I’ll tell you what me and Dad want to do next – Antiques Road Trip. Let’s put that out there!”.
Before taking part in the travel programme, Anita confessed she wanted her father to enjoy “an adventure”.
She told the BBC: “We get on, he makes me laugh and if I ever want help in making a decision, dad’s the person I call.
“Also, I want dad to have the experience. It’s about my dad having an adventure – he’s never had one before. I think we’re competitive, but I think we’re just really keen to have an amazing experience and give it our best shot.”
The Woman’s Hour presenter reveals she’s currently in a “new era” following the “confirmation” of her fresh romance with partner Alex Lavery.
This comes two years following her separation from spouse Bhupi Rehal. The former pair had been wed for 14 years before they ended their marriage.
Following their break-up, she revealed to Love Sunday Magazine: “‘Life is good, I’m in a good place. I’m focusing on myself and my own wants.
“It’s nice to be able to think about the second phase of my life. I’ve been calling it Chapter Two.”
Beat the Chasers is back for another episode at 8pm on Sunday night on ITV
Viewers can enjoy tuning into a new episode of Beat the Chasers on Sunday night.
The popular ITV quiz show, currently in its seventh series, pits contestants against the formidable Chasers in a high-stakes battle for cash prizes.
In an exclusive preview of this Sunday’s episode (Sunday 28 September), host Bradley Walsh can be seen asking The Chasers – Mark Labbett, Shaun Wallace, Anne Hegerty, Paul Sinha, Jenny Ryan, Darragh Ennis – an important question.
Bradley, 65, asks: “You are all role models for everyone out there who wants to be weird and tedious but who are your role models?”
To which The Governess responds her role model is Boudica, adding: “She was fierce, I’m fierce, she was independent, I’m independent, she fought the Romans… I got barred from Pizza Hut… we are the same!”
The Menace then replies: “My role model, Brad, has to be your agent, how they keep a straight face is beyond me?” to which an unimpressed yet amused Bradley responds: “Unnecessary!”
Next up is the Sinnerman who jokes: “It’s obvious really… I’m a gay, Hindu, atheist, disabled, comedian, doctor and quizzer… it’s obviously Jeremy Clarkson!” which leaves Bradley, as well as the audience, in hysterics.
It comes as Chaser Jenny Ryan appeared to give away how much The Chase’s Bradley makes on the ITV show in a recent episode.
Sharing a stat during the episode, he commented: “Last series, we gave away £700,000!”
Despite the audience sounding visibility impressed, Bradley couldn’t help but take a swipe at their losses.
The 65-year-old continued: “More to the point, when I say we gave away, I mean you lost £700,000!
“Now, what would you have done with that £700,000 had we not lost it. When I say we, I mean you.”
Jenny was the first to respond to Bradley’s question as she decided to put a different spin on his outlook.
She replied: “I have to think about it positively rather than negatively. By catching contestants, the chaster saved the show £20 million. Or as ITV calls it, two-thirds of a Bradley!” Her fellow quizzers laughed at her remark.
ITV viewers first saw Jenny ‘The Vixen’ Ryan join The Chase back in 2015 as she’s quickly became a fan favourite over the years.
It looks as though Jenny Ryan may have given away how much The Chase’s Bradley Walsh makes on the ITV show.
In an exclusive clip for this Sunday’s episode of Beat the Chasers, (Sunday 14 September), it shows the long-running host address the beloved quizzers, after one of the ITV stars recently touched on Mark Labbett’s ego.
Sharing a stat, he commented: “Last series, we gave away £700,000!”
Despite the audience sounding visibility impressed, Bradley couldn’t help but take a swipe at their losses.
The 65-year-old continued: “More to the point, when I say we gave away, I mean you lost £700,000!
Bradley took a swipe at the amount of money the Chase stars lost(Image: ITV)
“Now, what would you have done with that £700,000 had we not lost it. When I say we, I mean you.”
Jenny was the first to respond to Bradley’s question as she decided to put a different spin on his outlook.
She replied: “I have to think about it positively rather than negatively. By catching contestants, the chaster saved the show £20 million. Or as ITV calls it, two-thirds of a Bradley!”
The Chase’s Jenny Ryan’ lets slip’ Bradley Walsh’s salary(Image: ITV)
Her fellow quizzers laughed at her remark, although Bradley ignored the probe and addressed Shaun Wallace instead.
Known as The Dark Destroyer, he told Bradley it was obvious what he’d do with the money, had they not lost.
He said: “A first copy edition of Chasing the Dream by Shaun Wallace!” Taking a cheeky jibe at his co-star, Darragh Ennis replied: “700,000 copies more like!”
ITV’s Beat the Chasers is back for another series(Image: ITV)
Paul Sinha explained that if there was that much extra money in the budget, they could afford to have Shane Ritchie host instead of Bradley.
Although it seemed as though the ITV presenter took the comment in good humour as he burst out laughing before giving him a round of applause.
Looking into the camera, he said: “Come on over, Shane! You can do it mate.”
Alison Hammond has expressed her ‘relief’ at This Morning’s win at the NTAs last night after Dermot O’Leary said the show has been ‘through the mill’
Alison Hammond is ‘relieved’ at This Morning’s big win (Image: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
Alison Hammond has expressed her ‘relief’ at This Morning’s big win at the National Television Awards last night. The presenter, 50, provides cover on ITV’s flagship magazine show alongside Dermot O’Leary on Fridays and phoned into the programme after the big win to tell regular hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard just how grateful she felt that they had emerged victorious from the public vote.
The programme, which has aired on ITV since 1989, won in the Daytime category, having fought off competition from Scam Interceptors, Loose Women and James Martin’s Saturday Kitchen. The show managed to claim the title back after two years of losing out to The Repair Shop and The Chase.
Alison said: “I’m still buzzing from last night, what a brilliant night. It was just lovely. We hadn’t had it for two years running now and what’s so incredible is when our audience vote for us, we know we’re doing okay. It was just such a relief and we’re just so grateful that everyone picked up the phone and voted for us.”
The former Big Brother star has also made a name for herself interviewing A-List celebrity guests on the programme and has chatted to superstars like Britney Spears, Ryan Gosling and once ‘married’ The Rock on the show. But just before hanging up, she teased that she was off to interview Barbie star Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell.
Over the last few years, the show has been through numerous lineup changes following the departure of long-serving hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield. The duo, who began presenting together in 2009, first came under fire when they were alleged to have jumped the queue to file past Queen Elizabeth’s coffin in September 2022.
Then, Phillip, who first appeared on the programme in 2002 and initially presented alongside Fern Britton, admitted to an ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair with a younger colleague, and subsequently stepped down from the show and ITV altogether. Holly followed suit soon after security guard Gavin Plumb was charged in connection with a scheme to abduct and kill her.
The programme, which has aired on ITV since 1989, won in the Daytime category, having fought off competition from Scam Interceptors, Loose Women and James Martin’s Saturday Kitchen(Image: Getty Images for the NTA’s)
He was found guilty and last year was sentenced to a minimum of 16 years behind bars.
A litany of hosts like Josie Gibson, Craig Doyle, Rochelle Humes and Andi Peters took their place over a period of weeks before Cat and Ben were given the top jobs.
But speaking in the winners room after their victory, former X Factor host Dermot, 52, acknowledged that the show had been ‘through the mill’ over the last few years, reports Manchester Evening News.
He said: “There’s a team that have worked on the show since I’ve started who have had to endure an awful lot of s**t.
The former Big Brother star admitted she was ‘still buzzing’ at the win(Image: Getty Images for the NTA’s)
“And they have turned up to work every day with the greatest grace and professionalism and uncertainty, and they’ve never done anything but put their hearts and souls into this job.
“Two and a half hours of live telly every day is quite something, but to endure it under the spotlight of being on the front page of the news. This show holds a mirror up to Britain and it also tries to entertain.”
He also noted that the team was thrilled to win, as he added: “There’s never an arrogance about this. We’re genuinely humbled by it. It means an awful lot, especially for those people who have been through the mill.”
Beat the Chasers is back and in an exclusive first look clip host Bradley Walsh has a question for the Chasers
Bradley Walsh asks the chasers about a ‘Beat the Chasers movie’
Beat the Chasers is back for a brand new episode on Sunday night where Bradley Walsh has a question for the Chasers.
The hit ITV gameshow series sees contestants take on the Chasers in a bid to win big money and it’s currently airing its seventh season.
In an exclusive clip of this Sunday’s show (Sunday 7 September) it sees host Bradley Walsh ask The Chasers — Mark Labbett, Shaun Wallace, Anne Hegerty, Paul Sinha, Jenny Ryan, Darragh Ennis — a very “important” question…
Bradley, 65, says: “Let me ask you this, when they make Beat the Chasers the movie, who will play you, Governess [Anne’s Chaser name]…”
To which Anne, 67, responds: “I’m holding out for Margot Robbie” with Bradley quipping: “Aren’t we all!” as the audience bursts out laughing.
Beat the Chasers is back for a brand new episode on Sunday night where Bradley Walsh has a question for the Chasers(Image: ITV)
Anne continues: “She’s going to have to scrub up a bit but I think she’s got the basics!”
Bradley then says: “Yes, thank you, Vixen?” as he moves onto fellow Chaser Jenny Ryan who replies: “I think the key thing for a Beat the Chasers movie would be [who would play you]?” Viewers will have to tune in on Sunday night to see the rest of the stars’ answers.
It comes as Beat the Chasers star Mark quipped “I’ll get my coat” and made his exit after a contestant snatched a staggering £100,000 from under his nose in an episode on Sunday August 31.
Meanwhile host Bradley recently cautioned that he would be “fired” from The Chase if he implemented any major alterations on the hit ITV series.
Bradley Walsh ask The Chasers — Mark Labbett, Shaun Wallace, Anne Hegerty, Paul Sinha, Jenny Ryan, Darragh Ennis — a very “important” question(Image: ITV)
Whilst appearing on The One Show back on Friday 15 August, Bradley faced questions about his hectic timetable.
“You’ve got The Chase coming up, you’ve got Beat The Chasers as well, anything different we can expect from these series?” presenter Clara Amfo enquired.
To which Bradley promptly responded: “No they’re the same, they’re what you see on the tin. I’m not allowed to do anything different, I think I’d get fired if I did anything different. You’ve got to stick to the rules, and stick to the format.”
He continued: “You can have a laugh in between.”
Beat the Chasers airs Sundays at 8pm on ITV1 and ITV X.
THE Chase brainbox Jenny Ryan proved her talents span across the game shows as she won Celebrity Catchphrase in record time.
The ITV fan favourite, affectionately known as The Vixen, showed her prowess on Stephen Mulhern‘s show as she scooped the £50K cash prize for charity.
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The Chase’s Jenny Ryan was left gobsmacked after she won Celebrity Catchphrase in record timeCredit: ITV
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Her £50K question was a very tricky brain teaser – would you have got it?Credit: ITV
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The Vixen also scooped the title in record timeCredit: ITV
Jenny, 43, starred on the celebrity special of the classic game show with David Baddiel and Hollie Arnold.
Wearing a pink cherry-print jumper, she didn’t seem fazed by any of the “say what you see challenges.”
Her cool head was particularly key in the last question with the whopper cash prize up for grabs.
The image panned on the huge studio screen showed a large fridge filled with food but also bizarre items such as a house, gold bars and a document with the word “shares” emblazoned on it.
Jenny stared at the screen and suggested the guesses: “Freezer, cold, argh.
“Money on ice,” before she uttered the winning catchphrase: “Frozen assets!”
Stephen squealed in delight as he revealed she’d won and Jenny was left wide-eyed in shock, with her hands holding her head.
He said: “I can tell you right now, not only in record time but the record amount of money raised on Celebrity Catchphrase ever.”
Yet would you have worked out the brain teaser?
The Chase branded a ‘fix’ by fuming fans as Jenny Ryan stops £142k going to charity
The episode first aired back in 2021.
At the time, Jenny hailed one of her “greatest achievements” on the series was “vanquishing that Super Catchphrase pyramid!”
Fans were stunned by her performance and one wrote: “You. Were. Phenomenal!”
Another posted: “Way to go Jenny! Never doubted you for a second. Super proud fan moment.”
The Chase: Current lineup of Chasers on the ITV show
The Chase first premiered on ITV back in 2009 and has become a firm favourite among viewers since then. The roster of professional quizzers (‘chasers’) has grown significantly since the show’s launch.
Mark Labbett (2009 – present): Known as ‘The Beast’, Mark is a former Maths teacher and previously won £32,000 on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Mark has also reprised his role as a Chaser in the US and Australian versions of the show.
Shaun Wallace (2009 – present): Shaun, a barrister and former Mastermind champion, goes by the ‘Dark Destroyer’. Shaun has appeared on the Australian version of The Chase. In 2008, he finished as runner-up to Barry Simmons in Are You an Egghead?, a contest to find a new member of the then-BBC quiz team.
Anne Hegerty (2010 – present): A former contestant on Mastermind, Fifteen To One and Are You an Egghead?, Anne goes by ‘The Governess’. Since joining The Chase, she appeared on I’m A Celebrity… in 2018.
Paul Sinha (2011-present): Comedian and qualified doctor Paul joined the Chaser line-up in 2011, taking the nickname ‘The Sinnerman’. He has appeared on The Weakest Link, University Challenge and Brain of Britain. In 2018, Paul starred in series 8 of popular game show Taskmaster.
Jenny Ryan (2015 – present): Known as ‘The Vixen’, Jenny was previously in a winning team on Only Connect. She also appeared in Mastermind, The Weakest Link and Fifteen To One before joining The Chase in 2015.
Darragh Ennis (2020 – present): A postdoctoral researcher, Darragh joined The Chase in 2020 as ‘The Menace’. He is the first former contestant to join the line-up, having been part of a winning team against Paul Sinha in 2017.
A third simply put: “Smashed it,” while one posted: “Well done Jenny!!
“Amazing performance.”
SHOW FIX?
Despite her strong track record on Celeb Catchphrase, Jenny was recently called out on her own show, The Chase.
The Chase is the latest ITV show to fall victim to scheduling changes as the UEFA Women’s Euros take priority on air. Viewers have already been left fuming over the soaps being pulled from screens
08:14, 08 Jul 2025Updated 08:14, 08 Jul 2025
Fans will not be able to watch The Chase tonight
Fans of The Chase are facing disappointment this week as the hit quiz show has been pulled from ITV’s schedule in yet another shake-up triggered by live sporting events.
Viewers who usually tune in to see Bradley Walsh put contestants through their paces at 5pm on ITV One will find their routine interrupted as the broadcaster clears space for coverage of the UEFA Women’s Euros.
On Monday, July 7, The Chase will be bumped from its regular slot to make way for live coverage of the Spain vs Belgium match, with the build-up starting at 4.15pm ahead of the 5pm kick-off.
The ITV quiz show has been bumped off for coverage of the UEFA Women’s Euros(Image: ITV)
However, fans won’t have to go completely without their fix of Chasers and cash-build rounds. A second celebrity special of the quiz will air on Sunday, July 12, at 5.30pm instead. The show is then expected to return to its usual 5pm weekday slot from Tuesday, July 8.
This isn’t the first time recently that The Chase has been booted off air. Just last month, the popular quiz was cancelled for the entire week to make way for coverage of Royal Ascot, leaving viewers frustrated.
And it’s not just quiz fans feeling the pinch. Soap lovers are also grappling with significant disruption as both Coronation Street and Emmerdale are hit by further schedule changes this week.
Coronation Street, which is typically on screens Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 8pm and 9pm, will be absent from ITV on both Monday and Wednesday. Instead, fans will have to wait until 9pm on Thursday for their next visit to Weatherfield, while Friday’s episode will air as usual.
Meanwhile, Emmerdale will also be missing from the Monday and Wednesday line-up to make way for the Portugal vs Italy and France vs Wales games.
Over on the BBC, EastEnders fans are no strangers to disruption either, having endured an eight-day absence from screens between July 1 and July 9 thanks to Wimbledon coverage.
This comes after soap fans hit out at the disruption to their usual fix of Emmerdale, Coronation Street, and EastEnders. One angry viewer fumed: “Why have we no Emmerdale or Corrie, cause women’s football on ITV? Why can’t the football move to ITV2 or ITVX? Stupid planning. The soaps must have much higher viewers than women’s football, a lot of people unhappy.”
Another ranted: “This is actually a full-on joke. It’s about time ITV came up with a solution to suit all!! Some of us rely on soaps for routine and they are the only happy part of our day! YOU HAVE ITVX AND SEVERAL OTHER CHANNELS! Sort it out ITV!!”
A third fan added: “This annoys me so much. I hate soap schedule changes due to football. Watching soaps at night makes my nights better as it gives me escapism from my daily life.”
Jenny Ryan, also known as the Vixen, competed against two contestants in the final round of ITV’s the Chase in an episode hosted by Bradley Walsh that aired yesterday
Some viewers were left confused over an answer that was accepted by host Bradley Walsh on an episode of The Chase that aired this week. It came during a team’s final showdown against Jenny Ryan on the ITV quiz show.
An episode that aired yesterday saw four contestants take on Jenny, 43, who is also known as the Vixen, in a series of general knowledge rounds. Only two of them, Nick and Laura, made it to the final round against her, though.
The contestants had amassed a prize fund of £3,000 by that point and the pair managed to get 14 correct answers in their last round. Jenny then faced her final questions and one of her answers caught the attention of viewers at home.
Early on in her final chase, Bradley, 65, asked: “What colour top indicates semi-skimmed milk on bottles?” After taking a moment over the question, Jenny responded: “Red and silver.” The host reacted to her answer: “I’ll accept.”
An answer given by Jenny Ryan on an episode of the Chase that aired yesterday attracted attention on social media(Image: ITV)
Some fans were confused over the decision, though, with them suggesting that the correct answer should have been green. They shared their thoughts on X, with one viewer writing on the platform: “Semi-skimmed milk tops are green.”
Another asked: “I thought semi-skimmed was green?!” Someone else commented amid discussion about the episode: “Weird he just accepted a wrong answer!” Whilst another person wrote in a post: “Semi-skimmed is green!”
It was however pointed out that glass and plastic containers differ in colour coding. Some fans noted that glass bottles for semi skimmed milk have foil caps featuring red and silver stripes, whilst plastic alternatives often have green tops.
After asking which colour top indicates semi-skimmed milk on bottles, host Bradley Walsh accepted her answer of ‘red and silver’(Image: ITV)
Addressing the confusion, one person wrote on X this week: “Semi skimmed milk in glass bottles are red/silver striped. Poly containers it’s green.” Another said whilst the episode aired yesterday: “On bottles it’s red and silver stripes.”
It isn’t the first time that the question has prompted a reaction, with the episode having previously aired in 2022. At the time, it similarly was met with reaction from viewers over the accepted answer by host Bradley on the quiz show.
After answering the question, Jenny went on to get more correct answers in the final chase than the two remaining contestants, despite some pushbacks. Although they didn’t win the money, they received praise from the chaser.
Jenny then went on to win contestants Laura (left) and Nick (right), who had made it to the final round of the ITV show(Image: ITV)
Jenny, who had seven seconds to spare, told the team that they had “great answers” to a few “tricky questions”. She told them: “I think that shows that the total in the final chase doesn’t tell the whole story because you scored 14 with some great answers to some tricky questions.”
She added that as a result, she faced some challenging questions herself. Jenny said: “It meant that the equal set for me had some tricky ones in there that were gonna catch me out, but also some straightforward ones that I should have got.”
The Chase airs most weekdays on ITV and ITVX from 5pm.
Shaun Wallace, also known as The Dark Destroyer, will take part in a new brand new ITV show called The Great Escapers, which will see celebrities compete to plan the best day out
Shaun, who has been one of “the chasers” on Bradley Walsh’s quiz since 2009, told fans he was “very excited” to be filming for a new show called The Great Escapers. In a video posted on X, which was called Twitter, Shaun, 65, described the project as “a wonderful, exciting holiday adventure”.
The post read: “Very excited to be filming in Rhodes for a new show called ‘The Great Escapers’ with Mark @MarkLabbett and Jenny @jenlion. Looking forward to having a lot of fun with those two. Doing a spot of fitness in the sunshine, before we get going.”
Mark Labbett and Jenny Ryan are also experts on The Chase. However, it is understood neither Shaun, Mark or Jenny are leaving the quiz as, often, regulars on ITV entertainment programmes appear as guests on other shows.
Shaun, who is also a barrister, excited his 89,000 followers on X with the candid update. One fan gushed: “Have a swell time,” while another commented: “Hope you win your episode, Shaun!”
Each episode of The Great Escapers will see celebrities from different backgrounds compete to plan the best day out. Other episodes will feature stars from Coronation Street and Loose Women, among other shows and fames, it is understood.
Katie Rawcliffe, Director of Entertainment and Daytime ITV said: “We’ve got some of ITV’s best-known faces flying out to the most gorgeous destinations in this brand-new series. We can’t wait to see the cast of Corrie, I’m A Celeb…, The Chase and Loose Women in all of their holiday glory!”
The Great Escapers is in partnership with Jet2, one of the UK’s largest tour operators. The series will air on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player later this year, according to Express.co.uk.
Shaun, known as The Dark Destroyer on The Chase, is one of the original “chasers” on the teatime show. He and Mark, 59, have appeared in each of the 18 regular series, and 14 celebrity seasons.
Last month, fans of the programme were furious because it was taken off air due to ITV’s coverage of Royal Ascot. The Chase missed several episodes so the broadcaster could accommodate the racing event. Loose Women was also affected, as it was taken off air for three days; Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, for the races.
The Chase first graced our screens in 2009 and swiftly became a staple on ITV. It features regular contestants vying against each other, testing their general knowledge for the chance to bag a hefty cash prize.
EXCLUSIVE: Renowned DJ, Judge Jules, has opened up about his appearance on The Chase’s Celebrity Specia,l which saw a historic victory for him and his co-stars
Daniel Bird Assistant Celebrity and Entertainment Editor
17:00, 21 Jun 2025Updated 21:06, 21 Jun 2025
Judge Jules had a special connection to Elstree Studios(Image: Supplied)
Judge Jules has revealed that the pressure was eased slightly during his appearance on The Chase Celebrity special, thanks to his connection with the studio. The renowned DJ appeared on the ITV special last year alongside other famous faces, including Lesley Joseph, Jenni Falconer and Patrick Kielty.
The group went up against Shaun ‘The Dark Destroyer’ Wallace in the tense rounds before eventually all four celebs were part of the final chase. It was during the final round that they managed to get one over on Wallace and walked away with a total of £200,000 to split between their chosen charities.
But while some may crumble under the intense pressure of the ITV game show, lawyer and DJ Judge Jules, 58, admits that he didn’t feel too pressured due to a connection with the studios where the show is filmed. “I’m not nervous in my normal activities, before I go on the decks or anything else related to the music business,” he exclusively told the Mirror.
Judge Jules appeared on The Chase last year alongside a string of famous names(Image: ITV)
The Londoner went on to add: “It was a little bit nervy because it’s such an unfamiliar environment. The weird thing was, it’s filmed in Elstree Studios where EastEnders is filmed, or it was when I did it anyway. My dad (Shaun O’Riordan) worked there his entire working life, so I’d been to those studios multiple times – my dad was a TV director so I think maybe that eased off the pressure a little bit.”
Jules, who will be DJ’ing across the UK and Balerics this summer, went on to add: “It’s fast moving, you meet three others who you’ve never met before, all of you are there for a common purpose, it’s quite comedial backstage but at the same time, it’s more the alien environment.
“When you’re experienced in one area and suddenly you’re thrust into this alien environment, it makes it more nervous. We earned a chunk of money for charity, which was great. It was £200,00, so it was quite a lot.” This year, fans will see Judge Jules, the nephew of Rick Stein, at Tom Kerridge’s Pub In The Park Festival, Foodies, as well as dates across Ibiza and Sheffield’s 90s Fest at Don Valley Bowl.
The world-renowned DJ will be performing across the country this summer(Image: Supplied)
“I’ve done quite a few food-oriented festivals,” he said. He went on to add: “I think the core element of the sound stage and DJ’ing is quite similar, it’s more about what’s going on around the edges. It’s one of those that, as a DJ, I might under normal circumstances turn up an hour before, do my set and then probably go reasonably soon afterwards if I’ve got somewhere else to go, whereas I would make a day of it because there’s so much more to do.”
Jules explained that he faced difficulties last year after taking part in a live cooking demonstration on the stage, which was “very comedic”. Last summer, he and his wife were also judges on a cocktail-making stage just before he took to the stage himself. “It’s a unique day out,” he joked.
Away from his music career, Jules is the world’s only active entertainment lawyer and artist(Image: Supplied)
He said: “It’s the perfect thing for the more senior music business person to go and do. It’s such a varied experience. There is more than just food stalls, there’s comedy, there’s music, it’s an amazing experience.” Reflecting on dance music taking centre stage at festivals this year, with Reading and Leeds Festivals bringing the Chevron Stage back, he said: “It’s a different immersive action at a festival, dance, music. I’m the ultimate salesperson for it, and I don’t really know any different. I’m truly institutionalised by the experience of sort of dance floors.”
Having been in the industry since the Eighties, it’s fair to say that Jules has seen his fair share of odd moments. One memory that sticks out to him during the vinyl era was one clubber running up to the decks and stealing the record, before running back through the crowd, while the record was actually playing.
His ultimate highlight, though, is doing a job he would pay others to do. “I will always be mindful of how lucky I am,” he explained. He added: “Anybody who’s had any degree of success in the arts will have had certain lucky breaks along the way – that’s just facts, whether people choose to admit it or not. And I’m very humbled and just so grateful to do what I love doing. Sadly, there are plenty of people out there who don’t enjoy what they do to make a living.”
Jules was just 16 when he started, though, explaining he had a “slow trajectory” towards his success. He does, however, know musicians who have been propelled to global fame at the start of their career and admits it can be a “difficult process.”
Away from his music career, Julius O’Riordan is also an active lawyer, mainly centred around electronic music, making him the only active artist and entertainment lawyer. “It’s a very unique viewpoint,” he said. Jules added: “To be a successful artist, you need to be a little bit selfish – hopefully not to a really intolerable extent.
“I think when you become an entertainment lawyer, whilst my experience in the music industry has got me quite a lot of work as a lawyer, the tables are entirely turned. I have to be humble, they’re not interested in my war stories, they’re interested in how my experience can play out in the advice and guidance that I give to them, that’s been really good for me as a person, I think.”
Mark Labbett, best known to The Chase fans as quizmaster “The Beast”, was reportedly spotted committing the faux pas during a date with a mystery woman while filming Celebs Go Dating
“The Beast” from The Chase, real name Mark Labbett, found himself in an amusing pickle on Celebs Go Dating after reportedly dozing off during a date.
Labbett, 58, well-known for his sharp intellect and straight-talking on the hit ITV quiz show, seemingly succumbed to sleepiness while the cameras captured the moment mid-date.
The latest series of Celebs Go Dating, which was filmed last month, saw an insider reveal that there wasn’t much spark between the quizzing legend and his suitor.
An anonymous tipster dished:
“Mark was yawning a lot and drifted off briefly. It was a bit of an awkward moment. It’s safe to say there wasn’t much of a spark between them.”
Previously weighing as much as 29 stone, Mark Labbett tied the knot with second cousin Katie in 2014 but called it quits after six years.
He then dated TV host Hayley Palmer in 2023; however, the couple split after just one year together, reports the Express.
A source said: “Mark was yawning a lot and drifted off briefly. It was a bit of an awkward moment. It’s safe to say there wasn’t much of a spark between them.”(Image: IG)
Discussing his break up with Hayley, 43, Labbett confided in The Sun:
“She’s a lovely lady and I was very lucky to date her for a year, and as I said: it’s me, I got old.”
He continued: “There’s been no one since Hayley. I’m not saying there won’t be another one. But I’m certainly not looking.”
Delving into his love life, Labbett reminisced:
“I was single, not coincidentally, for a long, long time when I was a 29st maths teacher who knew it was quite hard to attract a partner then. So I’m quite comfortable without a partner.”
Mark’s representative quipped a witty retort when questioned about the drowsy date:
“If his date was as boring as you have suggested, I’m surprised he didn’t take a pillow with him!”.
Celebs Go Dating chose to remain tight-lipped regarding the incident.
The Chase presenter Bradley Walsh has been on our television screens for over two decades, but before he made a name for himself in the entertainment industry, he had a very different career
02:42, 06 Jun 2025Updated 02:46, 06 Jun 2025
Bradley Walsh has been gracing our televisions for more than 20 years as a comedian, actor, and presenter
Bradley Walsh, the much-loved British television presenter who celebrated his 65th birthday this week, has previously hinted at “slowing down”, but with his jam-packed diary, it’s evident that day is nowhere in sight.
A familiar face on UK telly, he graces our screens with a variety of fan favourites such as ‘The Chase‘, ‘Gladiators’, ‘Blankety Blank’, and hits the road in ‘Breaking Dad’ with his son Barney Walsh.
But before becoming a television mainstay, Walsh kicked off his career joining Rolls Royce as an apprentice jet engineer and then briefly glimmered on the football pitch after being scouted by Brentford FC, until an unfortunate injury curtailed his play.
Bradley Walsh is one of the UK’s most well-known TV presenters
Starting in showbiz as a Pontins bluecoat entertainer gave Bradley his first taste of the stage life. Despite his natural fun-loving tendencies which often got him into trouble during school and previous occupations, his spirited antics eventually led to him losing this job.
Speaking to Comedy.co.uk earlier this year, Walsh reminisced: “Once I left that to get into the entertainment industry and become a blue coat, I got sacked from being the bloke that was messing around. I thought that was the job! In the end I thought to myself, why don’t I just get paid for messing around?”.
Post-Pontins, Walsh pursued a path in comedy stating, “That was a very conscious decision. So, I’ve got myself a routine together,”. Describing his comedic style, he said, “I was a very physical comic, bit like Norman Wisdom, not so many jokes. I was a very physical comic. And that’s where it all started.”
Bradley Walsh has been gracing our televisions for more than 20 years as a comedian, actor, and presenter. His impressive acting portfolio includes stints as Danny Baldwin on ITV’s ‘Coronation Street‘, DS Ronnie Brooks in ‘Law and Order: UK’ and taking on the role of Graham O’Brien in ‘Doctor Who‘ aired on BBC One, reports Gloucestershire Live.
In 2009, Bradley took the reins as host of ITV’s quiz phenomenon ‘The Chase’, marking a strategic shift in his professional path. Walsh detailed how he snagged the opportunity to host The Chase after popping into ITV studios to enquire about presenting jobs.
While reminiscing during a conversation with the former head of daytime TV, she mentioned an upcoming quiz show concept, prompting Bradley’s feedback. Recounting their discussion, Bradley shared: “I took it away and I said ‘Yes, this can work, this will work’ and she said, ‘Okay, well we’re going to make a pilot’ and I said, ‘I’ll do it for you’ and she said, ‘Yeah, but it’s only an office run-through’ and I said, ‘I’ll do it for you, don’t worry’.”
During an appearance on the Tommy Tiernan show last year, he remembered kick-starting the pilot and devising the monikers for The Chasers. Fast forward nearly 16 years, Bradley’s enthusiasm for The Chase hasn’t waned, and he has no intention of quitting anytime soon.
In conversation with the Daily Mail, he mused about his tenure: “Until people say they’ve had enough and start switching off, I’ll do it. We’ve had such an extraordinary time together. It’s the best job in the world.”
The Chase viewers rushed to social media to share their thoughts after they saw the latest batch of contestants on the ITV show
Shaun Wallace, aka The Dark Destroyer, spotted a link between the contestant’s names
The Chase enthusiasts didn’t miss a beat when they noticed an amusing connection between the contestants’ names on the show.
The latest episode featured four fresh contenders, Alvin, Simone, Theo, and Dave, ready to face off against one of Britain’s top quiz maestros for a sizeable cash prize.
Bradley Walsh welcomed them onto the ITV programme. The foursome, strangers until the show, hoped to outwit the Chaser—Shaun Wallace, aka ‘The Dark Destroyer’.
However, eagle-eyed viewers were quick to take to social media to highlight the humorous coincidence among the player’s names. A viewer was amused by the “Chipmunks reference”, while another chortled: “Are they all Chipmunks?”
A third added: “It’s the Chipmunks. Dave, and then Alvin, Simon, Theodore!” And yet another remarked: “Alvin, Simone and Theo on The Chase. They knew what they were doing there right? Please tell me they did.”
The Chaser Shaun also caught onto the reference commenting: “It’s the cast of Alvin and the Chipmunks.” Host Bradley responded: “I’m sorry I’ve never seen that, that was completely lost on me,” reports the Liverpool Echo.
Alvin, Simone, Theo, and Dave were all character’s names in the 2007 film Alvin and the Chipmunks(Image: ITV)
In the beloved 2007 family flick, three chipmunks with a knack for singing—Alvin, Simon, and Theodore—set their sights on stardom in the music world, under the care of Dave Seville until discovered by a music producer.
Viewers couldn’t help but chuckle at the coincidence of Alvin, Simone, Theo, and Dave appearing together on ‘The Chase’.
However, this isn’t the first occasion the series has seen a group of contestants with intriguingly interconnected names.
An episode recently had viewers chuckling with an Avengers twist, featuring players named Tony, Steve, Thor, and Natasha, a fact that didn’t go unnoticed by fans or The Menace who made a quip on the matter. Earlier in the year, a “cheesy” event occurred when eagle-eyed viewers spotted names resembling cheeses – think Gordon Ola as Gorgonzola and Leslie Dale for Wensleydale on the popular ITV quiz programme.
On his regular quest for knowledge, Shaun faced off against Dave from Northumberland, who notched up £7,000 in the Cash Builder and nabbed a spot in the finale following an impressive round.
Fans also called out the reference to the kid’s animated film (Image: ITV)
Theo was eager to match Dave’s success; however, after a nail-biting quick-fire session, Theo was eliminated by The Dark Destroyer’s swift takedowns. Simone crossed the pond from the USA for her chance at quiz glory. She chose caution over risk and brought back a modest £1,000 to the pot.
With high hopes, Alvin stepped up as the last contestant aiming to reach the final but found his efforts thwarted by The Chaser’s relentless pursuit.
In a tense final chase, Simone and Dave could only muster an 11-point lead, insufficient to best The Dark Destroyer who sent them home with over half a minute spare, ensuring they left with nothing but the experience.
