Coronavirus: The Chase under threat as host Bradley Walsh reveals they are 100 episodes behind

·Contributor

25 April 2020 at 6:10 am·2-min read

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 20: (L-R) Mark Lebbett, Jenny Ryan, Bradley Walsh, Anne Hegerty and Shaun Wallace of The Chase, with the award for Daytime, during the 21st National Television Awards at The O2 Arena on January 20, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) — (L-R) Mark Lebbett, Jenny Ryan, Bradley Walsh, Anne Hegerty and Shaun Wallace of The Chase, with the award for Daytime, during the 21st National Television Awards at The O2 Arena on January 20, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

The Chase star Bradley Walsh has revealed the show is 100 episodes behind and admits he does not know when filming will recommence.

The popular tea time quiz last filmed in February and has not been able to start again due to the coronavirus pandemic, meaning they are quickly running out of episodes.

A special off-shoot series, Beat The Chasers was filmed in January, which Walsh described as “lucky” as otherwise it would not have been made.

The new prime time series sees individual participants taking on multiple chasers - the more they face the more money they can win.

Speaking to The Sun, Walsh said: "We stopped filming on The Chase in February, so I would say at the moment we’re about 100 shows behind schedule, which we’ll need to make up."

He added: "I’ve got absolutely no idea what is going to happen. We can’t say we’ll be back to work in a month, eight weeks. No one knows. All we can do is sit and pray."

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Bradley is in lockdown with his family and described living through the coronavirus pandemic as "traumatic".

He said: “It’s a very peculiar and traumatic time. Me and my family are all fine, but I do feel sorry for the people who are living on their own, I can’t imagine what that must be like. My heart goes out to them."

Chaser Paul Sinha revealed last month he has unwell with COVID-19 symptoms, though he was not tested.

His colleague and fellow chaser Anne Hegarty revealed on Good Morning Britain: "He's been really quite ill. We're hoping he's over the worst of it now."

A few days later, he tweeted to update fans, posting: "For the first time in ten days I feel vaguely alive. I hope it’s not a trick.”

Beat the Chasers will starts on April 27 on ITV from 9pm.