The Chase’s 94-year-old contestant leaves Bradley Walsh stunned with £5,000 cash-builder

At 94, Val had already made an impression before answering a single question on ITV’s The Chase.

The retired vet, from Solihull, appeared on the programme on Wednesday, 19 April, and quickly caught Bradley Walsh’s attention when he revealed his age. Val went on to put £5,000 into his cash builder, securing his place in the Final Chase and becoming the show’s oldest contestant at the time.

Bradley Walsh could hardly believe Val was 94

Val joined Andrea from Blackburn, Nabeel from Manchester and Meng, originally from Melbourne, as the four contestants hoping to beat The Vixen and take home a share of the prize money.

As usual, Bradley Walsh began Val’s appearance by asking a few questions about his life, including his age, profession and what he would do with any winnings.

When Bradley asked how old he was, Val gave a simple answer.

“I’m 94.”

The revelation immediately surprised the host.

“Brilliant, I think you are the oldest contestant,” Bradley told him.

Val agreed, adding that he believed he was the oldest person to have appeared on the programme and joking that he was certainly feeling his age at that moment.

The exchange set the tone for what followed, with Val repeatedly catching Bradley and the studio audience off guard with his dry sense of humour.

The retired vet had a memorable answer for almost everything

Val explained that he had worked as a vet before retiring. These days, he said, he enjoyed watching television and horse racing, although he added a typically self-deprecating twist by saying he enjoyed watching horses racing and losing.

When Bradley asked about his favourite television programme, Val had another easy answer: The Chase.

His response to the question of what he would do with any money he won was equally straightforward.

He said he would bank it.

Val then explained that he was due to turn 95 the following month and joked that he would probably die soon, meaning there was little point in spending the money himself.

His comments had Bradley laughing, with the host clearly enjoying Val’s unusually dark sense of humour.

Val puts £5,000 on the board

The jokes were followed by an impressive performance when Val finally faced the cash builder.

He answered five questions correctly, earning £5,000.

That gave him the chance to face The Vixen and fight for a place in the Final Chase. Val ultimately held his nerve and made it through.

He was not the only member of the team to reach the final round. Meng and Nabeel also joined him, giving the trio a combined £11,000 to defend.

Val had actually been offered a much higher figure of £94,000, matching his age, but he chose to stick with the £5,000 he had earned in the cash builder. Meng also secured £5,000, while Nabeel reached the final after scoring £1,000. Andrea, who had earned £6,000, was caught before reaching the final.

The Vixen catches the team with seconds to spare

The trio faced The Vixen in the Final Chase, but their run ultimately came to an end.

The team built a score of 17, with Meng making a particularly strong contribution during the round. However, The Vixen continued to close the gap and eventually caught them with 33 seconds remaining.

That meant Val, despite making television history with his appearance and putting £5,000 on the board, left the show without a share of the £11,000 prize.

The result was disappointing for the team, but Val’s appearance had already given viewers one of the more memorable moments of the episode. His age, quick wit and relaxed approach had left Bradley Walsh laughing throughout the show, while his performance in the cash builder proved that he was there to compete rather than simply make up the numbers.

For a 94-year-old stepping onto The Chase, making it through to the Final Chase with £5,000 was quite an achievement, even though The Vixen ultimately ended the team’s run.