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The Chase’s Mark Labbett fears pay will drop because of new chaser

The new chaser will mean less work for him and co-stars

The Chase star Mark Labbett believes he will have to return to teaching one day when he “can’t afford” to remain on the show.

The 54-year-old quizzer – who is nicknamed The Beast on the ITV show – admits the upcoming introduction of a new Chaser will probably mean “less work” for him and his co-stars, who include Anne Hegerty, Shaun Wallace, Paul Sinha and Jenny Ryan.

He predicts one day he could be back in the classroom full-time.

The Chase
Mark has been a chaser since 2009 (Credit: ITV)

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He told The Sun: “I’m gutted about it, to be honest. We only get paid for when we work so a new chaser means less work.

“We only get paid for when we work so a new Chaser means less work. There will be a point where I can’t afford to do it any more. I’ll have to go back to teaching.

“Last year, we only filmed half as Bradley Walsh was on Doctor Who and if I didn’t have other work it would be really tough.”

There will be a point where I can’t afford to do it any more. I’ll have to go back to teaching

Mark would love to present University Challenge one day, but admits it is tough to find other work on the box because “TV has too many white middle-aged quiz presenters”.

The Chase Anne Hegerty
He thinks eventually he will have to go back to teaching (Credit: ITV)

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Mark said he hasn’t “had as many offers as Anne Hegerty and we have the same agent”.

He added that his dream would be to “host University Challenge”.

Mark recently admitted fans always ask him to “pick them up” into the air, particularly when he makes appearances at universities during Freshers’ Week, but he has to turn people down because he’s “getting old”.

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He said the “weird ones are the ones that ask me to pick them up” and he made a promise he “would only do it with the people I love and secondly, I am getting old”.

Mark said “some people can’t take for an answer” but it’s “lovely meeting all the students though”.

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Nancy Brown
Associate Editor