The Chase contestant leaves viewers laughing with hilarious answer before team wins £17,000

A contestant on ITV’s The Chase gave viewers an unexpectedly funny start to Friday’s episode after getting a simple question wrong, but he soon recovered to help his team secure a £17,000 prize.

The episode, which aired on Friday, September 25, saw four contestants, Dharm, Mark, Gwen and Cami, take on Bradley Walsh and one of the show’s best-known Chasers, Shaun Wallace, also known as The Dark Destroyer.

Before the quiz got properly underway, however, Dharm had already caught Bradley’s attention with his answer to a question about how he planned to spend his winnings.

Dharm reveals his unusual reason for wanting the prize money

Dharm, a 40-year-old Civil Service accounts manager originally from Bolton and now living in Leeds, was the first contestant to take on the Cash Builder.

Speaking to Bradley before the round began, Dharm explained that he hoped to win between £2,000 and £3,000. He also revealed that he had a particular use in mind for the money.

“I’ll get a new head of hair, right?” Dharm said.

Bradley quickly responded with a joke of his own, asking: “What’s the matter with the one you got?”

Dharm explained that his hair was “running a bit thin”, prompting Bradley to reassure him: “It looks all right to me, mate.”

The conversation was followed by the start of Dharm’s one-minute Cash Builder, although his first question did not go according to plan.

Dharm’s first answer leaves viewers amused

Bradley asked Dharm to complete the saying: “You should never look a gift horse in the what?”

Dharm confidently answered: “Eye.”

The correct answer, as Bradley confirmed, was “mouth”.

Despite the early mistake, Dharm quickly put it behind him and went on to build a £4,000 total before facing Shaun Wallace in the head-to-head round.

He successfully made it through to the Final Chase, giving the team an important early contribution.

The team builds a £17,000 prize pot

Dharm was followed by Cami, who added £6,000 to the team’s total and also secured a place in the Final Chase.

Gwen then took her turn and successfully reached the final while contributing another £3,000.

Mark completed the individual rounds by bringing back a further £4,000.

With all four contestants making it through, the team’s prize fund stood at £17,000.

The group then faced Shaun Wallace together in the Final Chase, with the four contestants working as a team to stay ahead of The Dark Destroyer.

They managed to put 20 questions on the board, which proved enough to keep Shaun at bay and secure the £17,000 prize pot.

Viewers react to Dharm’s “eye” answer

Dharm’s opening answer quickly became one of the most memorable moments of the episode for viewers watching at home.

One viewer took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to joke: “TBF I’ve never looked a gift horse in the eye – good advice…#TheChase.”

Another viewer joked that looking a horse in the mouth could result in getting bitten, while others simply reacted with disbelief at Dharm’s unexpected answer.

One post read: “#thechase Eye, blimey,” while another added: “#TheChase eye??” alongside a horse emoji.

A further viewer summed up the moment with: “Eye (laughing faces) Fantastic start #thechase.”

The mood changed later in the episode as viewers praised the quartet for their performance in the Final Chase.

“Well done team. Never in doubt #thechase,” one viewer wrote.

Another singled out Gwen’s contribution, posting: “Outstanding performance from Gwen there in the final chase.”

A third viewer praised Shaun’s effort despite the result, writing: “#thechase Shaun great effort unlucky.”

The episode saw Dharm’s early mistake become a source of amusement, but the more important outcome for the team was their eventual success against The Dark Destroyer and their £17,000 prize fund.

The Chase airs on weekdays on ITV and is also available on ITVX.

Episode: Series 17, Episode 70
Contestants: Dharm, Cami, Gwen and Mark
Chaser: Shaun Wallace, The Dark Destroyer
Final prize pot: £17,000

ITV’s official episode listing confirms the quartet and their appearance in Series 17, Episode 70.