I won £50,000 on The Chase after my plan took an unexpected turn

Ian Manly is portion of a precise exclusive nine — but it was ne'er his volition to join.

The 65-year-old magician from Middlesex signed up for ITV’s The Chase with a elemental plan. He wanted to person a bully time retired and conscionable the daytime series’ host, Bradley Walsh. However, owed to immoderate fantabulous gameplaying, Ian didn’t conscionable win, helium won large —  and walked retired of the workplace with a 50% stock of a £100,000 jackpot.

Alongside subject and maths tutor Karen, Ian made past by securing the largest sum of wealth by 2 players successful the show’s history.

‘I went connected determination for a large acquisition and a bully time out,’ Ian humbly told Metro.co.uk.

He added: ‘The wealth wasn’t thing I considered due to the fact that having watched it for years, I cognize it’s uncommon for anybody to instrumentality location a large amount.’

According to a data scientist, astir 24% of The Chase contestants triumph the jackpot. 2018 was the past clip £100,000 was taken home (done truthful by a radical of four).

‘I’d person had a wonderful time, adjacent if I hadn’t won. I’d been connected Tipping Point before and won nothing, and inactive loved it.

‘But now, I’m much than happy.’

As it was thing helium ne'er considered mightiness happen, Ian was near successful shock.

After winning, helium exited the workplace – awkwardly walking past the 2 contestants who were knocked retired earlier the last – and headed to Iceland to prime up a pint of milk.

‘I conscionable stood determination successful the mediate of the store, staring astatine the rows of shelves. I couldn’t wrapper my caput astir however I had £50,000 that I didn’t person the time before. It was surreal,’ helium recalled.

A mates of weeks later, the wealth was deposited into his slope relationship and Ian rapidly got to enactment spending the ‘life-changing’ sum.

He headed connected vacation to Turkey and is connected a hunt for the cleanable car to driblet immoderate much GBP on. Unfortunately, he’s besides been expected to prime up much rounds successful the pub by his friends. ‘I’ve had a batch of Facebook person requests too,’ helium added with a laugh.

Ian has 1 idiosyncratic helium wants to convey for his purchases: Karen, who enactment £94,000 into the communal pot.

The rules dictate that nary substance however overmuch contestants bring backmost from idiosyncratic chases, the sums are combined and divided betwixt each players. Ian feels nary guilt for taking his adjacent share. ‘It’s conscionable the game. That’s the mode it is, and we wouldn’t person won the last pursuit without each other.’

Despite having specified an interaction connected his life, Ian hasn’t spoken to Karen since leaving the Elstree studios successful Borehamwood implicit a twelvemonth ago. Ian hopes that 1 time helium tin find Karen’s email code and accidental convey you.

Before helium was a contestant, Ian was conscionable a immense instrumentality of The Chase. He submitted an exertion aft a mate, who antecedently took portion but didn’t win, encouraged him. Once Ian made it done the written form, telephone interrogation and in-person audition, helium was granted a spot, and truthful got to enactment practising.

Each clip helium watched an episode, helium would play along. During his viewing parties of one, helium spotted that questions astir Henry VIII’s wives would travel up occasionally. Ian truthful decided to undertake circumstantial revision connected the six women.

He painstakingly wrote down everything helium could find retired astir them connected a portion of paper, which helium work close until helium had to commencement playing. ‘It wasn’t immoderate usage whatsoever.’

As a The Chase superfan, Ian didn’t discarded his accidental to beryllium successful a workplace and took intelligence notes of what viewers don’t get to see, which varied from the mundane to the starry.

Running done his database of observations, helium told america that contestants are fixed complimentary h2o bottles, but are not allowed to portion from them erstwhile it’s filming. He past disclosed that watches person to beryllium removed, truthful they don’t cognize the clip portion successful play.

While walking america done his day, Ian becomes astir animated erstwhile moving onto the taxable of Bradley.

Bradley stans volition beryllium blessed to hear, the 64-year-old is conscionable arsenic affable erstwhile helium isn’t connected the tiny screen. ‘He told maine helium loved my joke,’ Ian proudly declared, earlier retelling it. ‘My car is my baby. It ne'er goes anyplace without a rattle.’ With Bradley’s approval, Ian volition beryllium recycling successful future.

He continued: ‘And helium said to telephone him Brad, arsenic Bradley is excessively formal. He enactment maine astatine easiness consecutive away.’

Ian besides got to beryllium privy to a portion of the amusement which is ever referred to connected the programme, but ne'er shown. The contestants indispensable take betwixt question acceptable A and B earlier the last chase, and he’s present discovered that contempt ITV’s large budgets they support things simple. ‘You virtually person 2 scrunched-up pieces of insubstantial that you take between,’ helium shared. The Chase tidbits tin articulation the Catherine, Anne, and Jane facts wrong his brain.

There’s a crushed that The Chase has precocious celebrated 15 years connected TV, and has a regular assemblage of betwixt 3 to 5 cardinal people. No substance however galore episodes you consume, the last pursuit is thrilling, to watch. And Ian, who faced Paul ‘Sinnerman’ Sinha, has revealed it’s conscionable arsenic aggravated arsenic it looks connected TV.

‘I was truthful calm passim arsenic I was conscionable determination to person a bully time. I didn’t consciousness immoderate nerves, and past the last pursuit began. It got real.

‘You can’t assistance but consciousness the pressure, particularly arsenic I didn’t cognize Karen’s position. Maybe she truly needed the money. Being portion of a squad adds an other layer,’ helium shared.

If anybody is reasoning of pursuing successful Ian’s footsteps and applying for The Chase, helium has 1 portion of advice: ‘Just bash it!’

The Chase airs connected ITV1 astatine 5:00pm connected weekdays.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a personage story, video oregon pictures get successful interaction with the Metro.co.uk amusement squad by emailing america [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 oregon by visiting our Submit Stuff leafage – we’d emotion to perceive from you.

MORE : Iconic X Factor justice tipped for I’m A Celebrity 12 years aft ITV series

MORE : Strictly prima blasts ITV rival amusement for being ‘terribly dangerous’

MORE : ITV presenter hits retired astatine stars winning awards who are ‘hated by everyone’