Family and friends of Tim McCarthy, a 64-year-old teacher who passed away from terminal cancer, gathered to celebrate the posthumous airing of his episode on ITV quiz show The Chase. McCarthy fulfilled his dream to appear on the show and won £50,000 alongside another contestant after narrowly beating chaser Jenny Ryan by just one second.
The episode aired a month after his death, with loved ones filling The Colliers pub in Tyldesley, Greater Manchester, in his honor. His widow, Rachel McCarthy, described it as a “punch-the-air moment,” recalling that Tim had kept his cancer diagnosis secret from producers for fear it would prevent him from competing, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
“He was overjoyed when he won, but we had to keep it secret,” she said. “Tim was the kindest, cleverest, and most humble man I ever knew. We never got to spend his prize, but this episode is a celebration of his life.”
Launched in 2009, The Chase attracts three to five million viewers per episode. Contestants face expert “chasers” in a general knowledge showdown for a chance at a cash prize. In 2025, the panel includes Jenny Ryan, Shaun Wallace, Anne Hegerty, Mark Labbett, Paul Sinha, and Darragh Ennis.
