Northern Irishman Brendan ‘buzzing’ after £60,000 win on Beat the Chasers

Brendan on Beat the Chasers
Brendan on Beat the Chasers (Image credit: STV)

If The Chase is ever looking for a new Chaser, producers may have found one in the shape of Northern Irishman Brendan, who showed incredible poise… and smarts… to beat five of the professionals and win £60,000 on Beat the Chasers on Friday.

Earlier, Brendan won £3,000 in his cash builder and, when offered the chance to play for a larger amount, didn’t hesitate to go high. Mark ‘The Beast’ Labbett tried to tempt him into a mistake when he doubled the prize pot from £30,000... IF he chose to face five Chasers.

An impossible task, everyone watching was thinking (including us!) But no – he not only won the big pot, but he dominated the contest, finishing with 22 seconds left on the clock.

“That must be one of the best performances ever from Brendan,” one fan posted on Twitter.

Another posted: “Well done Brendan on winning £60,000 you deserve every penny of it I’m so pleased for you and you have played incredibly well :)”

A third suggested that cub leader and Gaelic football coach Brendan could have a new career on The Chase, as quizzer called ‘The Scoutmaster’.

The County Down man was as cool as you like and he wasted no time on questions he didn’t know as the clock counted down the 60 seconds, passing back to the Chasers, then nailing the questions he did know at lightning speed.

The final question from host Bradley Walsh was: “Used in fencing what is an epee?”

Brendan flashed back without hesitation: “Sword.”

And the money was his with 22 seconds left!

“I’m buzzing,” he told Bradley and all six Chasers took to the stage to give him a standing ovation.

Later, Irish Chaser Darragh Ennis tweeted: “Well done Brendan. Very cool and collected. What a win, with time to spare.”

A viewer commented: “Good man Brendan!! Those young Down GAA footballers will have some rig out now!”

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.