TV review: Thrill of The Chase

Bradley Walsh ... an inspired piece of casting

I confess I am now one of those fortunate people who can flop regularly in front of tele for the UK game show The Chase on TVNZ. It's on at 5pm weeknights you see.

And that Bradley Walsh lad as the presenter is an inspired piece of casting especially as he played a villainous bad boy years ago on Coronation Street.

He's is simply one of my fave faces on tele. He's dead cheeky with his twinkly eyes, and animated, mobile face which can't disguise his quirky, offbeat sense of humour which often doubles him over much to the chagrin of the chasers.

When Brad laughs we all laugh. Really, you cannot surpass a chap who can literally laugh till he cries.

The Chase is one of those standard game shows which doesn't rely on lots of rules, bells and flashing neon strips to pull you in.

It focuses on the four contestants who are, of course, backed to the hilt by young Bradley who makes frequent quips about their lives in the real world, their hobbies, even their spouses.

This makes for a close-knit team ready to pit themselves against one of the four chasers,

And, of course, these chasers all play the game with the odd ribald comment about the contestants with Bradley coming in for his fair share of chaser wit as well.

So the battles begin as each contestant does their utmost to control their game nerves and give the chaser a right old run for the money.

I think because it's a simple format (doesn't mean the questions are though) it's a relaxed and jolly watch as you shout the answers at the tele or mutter unfair descriptions of the poor sods doing their best to answer and get the dosh.

I was for a while not really interested in game shows, too busy flitting to and fro dealing with domestic duties but one afternoon it just got me. I was in and have been keen ever after.

I love yelling the answers, I hate getting them wrong and that's often where I am totally duped. Because when they ask a question that's pure UK it wrecks it for us chaps down here in the Antipodes.

Could be time for a New Zilland version eh?