Beloved The Chase presenter Bradley Walsh has rubbed fans up the wrong way with an infuriating habit viewers claim is ‘doing their head in.’

The charismatic host, 65, is known for his everyman quality and ability to put even the most nervous of contestants at ease.

But after more than 15 years as the face of the programme, the Watford native has irritated viewers, who have claimed he pretends to know the answers before they are revealed.

In the ITV game show’s most recent installment, Bradley welcomed Nick, Paris, Jane and Lucy – contestants playing for a sizable cash prize.

As usual, each player took part in an individual cash builder to set the tone for the later battle against the chaser, which was Darragh Ennis.

But it was during the multiple choice section against The Menace where avid watchers noticed Bradley’s quirky tendency.

At one point, Jane was asked: ‘According to a scientific study published in 2022, which sound causes the greatest fear to animals on the African savannah?’

When it emerged that Jane selected ‘lion’s growl’ – Bradley questioned whether she had made the right choice, saying: ‘You’ve put lion’s growl. Hmm. Okay. Elephant’s trumpet, surely?’

+2
View gallery

The Chase presenter Bradley Walsh has rubbed fans up the wrong way with an infuriating habit fans claim is ‘doing their head in.’

But, unsurprisingly, the lion’s growl turned out to be the right answer.

Bradley’s presumptuousness got under viewers’ skin, with one writing online: ‘Ah yes, the fearsome carnivorous predator…the elephant.’

Good-natured Bradley congratulated Jane on her correct choice, but it didn’t stop him from enacting the same tactic with Lucy when she was going head-to-head with Darragh.

The contestant was asked: ‘In the Sondheim musical “Into the Woods”, who sings “On the Steps of the Palace”?’

When it emerged Lucy picked Cinderella over Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel, Bradley chimed in: ‘You’ve put Cinderella. It’s got to be. It’s got to be Cinderella.’

Many put the presenter’s remarks down to light-hearted enthusiasm, but some keen fans were not as impressed.

One furious commenter wrote: ‘Brad needs to stop this pretending to know the answer business. Doing my head in.’

And another added: ‘Is there no beginning to Brad’s general knowledge? He wouldn’t even pass the audition for Tipping Point.’

+2
View gallery

Viewers have claimed Bradley ‘pretends to know the answers’ before they are revealed (Pictured: Contestants Jane and Nick)

Agreeing with the sentiment, a third wrote: ‘Brad makes a face as if he knows and then waits for the answer and says “yeah of course!”‘

Some saw the comedic element, with one taking a jab at the cheeky host: ‘Brad: A, Yeah, I agree. Has to be A surely? Know what I mean? Definitely A in my book. Gottabe innit? Definitely A. 100 per cent A. No doubt about it, A, Absolutely. (It’s C, Brad).’

In the end, Nick and Jane were the only two who progressed to the final chase, playing for £4,000 each.

But after ending on a score of just 12, far from competitive if hoping to get past the sharp-witted chasers, the pair left penniless as Darragh caught them with 24 seconds still on the clock.

It comes as a former The Chase contestant reveals why ITV bosses warn the players to not share any of their prize money with the eliminated players.

Steven Sneade, 69, from Liverpool, took part in the programme back in 2017 and went up against Paul Sinha AKA The Sinnerman.

He managed to make it to the final round and won a huge amount of money, but there was one person on his team who walked away with nothing.

Steven said: ‘If you win you have to sign another contract as you’re accepting money from them.

Commenters were quick to flock to social media and express their disapproval of the host’s irritating habit

‘They told us not to give money to the contestants who didn’t win money just because you feel sorry for them.

‘They can’t stop you, but I think they just don’t want you to have that in mind. They said it could take three months, but I had it in a week.’

But that wasn’t the only rule that they were told that they had to follow.

Steven had previously taken part in Tipping Point, which meant that he had to wait a bit before he could star on The Chase.

He added: ‘After about two years I got a call and the production person they were thinking about casting me, but they asked if I had been on any other shows.

‘I had been on Tipping Point, so they said they would be back in touch next year.

‘They don’t want people being on those two programmes so close together – apparently they get a lot of backlash for having the same people on different shows.’