How Much Do The Chasers Get Paid Per Episode

Let’s be honest: we’ve all watched The Chase and wondered, while the Chaser in the hot seat delivers yet another cruel, deadpan joke about the contestant’s savings account, exactly how much cold, hard cash they’re pocketing for this performance. Is it a million pounds? A bucket of gold? Or just a firm handshake and a free sandwich from the BBC cafeteria?

Spoiler alert: it’s not a million pounds. But it’s also not nothing. The truth about Chaser pay is a delicious blend of TV industry reality and pure, unadulterated guesswork—and I’m here to spill the (lightly salted) tea.

First, the big reveal: the Chasers do not get paid per episode in the traditional sense of, say, a plumber fixing a leak. They are salaried contractors, which means they get a lump sum for a block of filming—usually a whole series filmed in a sweaty, frantic week or two. That’s your per-episode math.

The "Six-Figure" Rumor That’s Probably True

The most persistent rumor, whispered in quiz-loving pubs from London to Glasgow, is that the Chasers earn somewhere between £100,000 and £200,000 per year. Divide that by the number of episodes they film (roughly 150–200 a year), and you get a per-episode figure of about £500 to £1,000.

But hold on—that’s before tax, agent fees, and the cost of maintaining that terrifying aura of invincibility. Mark Labbett, the Beast, once joked that he spends most of his pay on dry cleaning for his suits and emotional support biscuits. I made that last part up, but you get the vibe.

Let’s zoom in on the specific Chasers. Bradley Walsh, the host, is a different beast entirely. He reportedly earns around £1 million per year for the show, which is not what the Chasers get. Bradley gets paid for being a national treasure; the Chasers get paid for being walking encyclopedias with questionable social skills.

The "Bradley Walsh Tax" and Other Brutal Realities

Here’s the funny part: the Chasers’ pay is not equal. Yes, you heard me. The Dark Destroyer, Shaun Wallace, might earn a different amount than the Governess, Anne Hegerty, based on their fame and negotiation skills. Word on the street is that the newer Chasers, like Darragh Ennis (the Menace), probably earn less than the OGs like Paul Sinha (the Sinnerman).

Think of it like a weird, sweaty quiz team at a pub—except the pub is a TV studio, and the prize money is real. Shaun Wallace, for example, is a barrister in real life. That means he probably earns more money cross-examining witnesses than he does chasing contestants down a money ladder. Irony alert: The guy who can take your cash on TV might be richer than you before he even puts on his suit jacket.

And Anne Hegerty? She once revealed in an interview that the Chasers do not get a bonus if they catch a contestant. That’s right—no "kicker" for a perfect game. They get a flat rate to be terrifying, regardless of outcome. So when the Beast smiles after a perfect sweep? That’s purely for the love of the game. Or maybe it’s a tax write-off.

The Shocking Twist: It’s Not That Much Per Episode

Let’s do the nightmare math. If a Chaser films 20 episodes in two days (as they often do), and they earn, say, £80,000 a year, that works out to £4,000 per filming day. Divide that by the eight or nine episodes they film in a single day, and you get about £444 per episode. That’s less than a mid-range plumber charges for unblocking a toilet—and the plumber doesn’t have to remember the capital of Burkina Faso.

But here’s the rub: that per-episode figure is before agent fees, taxes, and the mandatory therapist bill for having to listen to Bradley Walsh’s endless puns. The Chasers work brutal hours. Filming a full series means 12-hour days, endless retakes, and eating cold sandwiches while pretending to be excited about a contestant’s out-of-date general knowledge.

Paul Sinha, the Sinnerman, once tweeted that his favorite part of filming is "the moment Bradley Walsh says ‘cut’ and I can finally take off my tie and become a normal, slightly neurotic human again." That’s the real paycheck—relief from pretending to be omniscient.

The Surprising Fact That Will Blow Your Mind

Here’s the most insane part: the Chasers might actually make more money from live shows and after-dinner speaking than from the TV show itself. Mark Labbett, for instance, reportedly charges thousands of pounds for a single corporate event. Anne Hegerty sells signed photos and does paid zoom quizzes. The TV show is, effectively, a loss leader for their personal brand.

Think about that. The man who chases you on TV is making his real bank by telling jokes to accountants in a hotel ballroom. The TV paycheck is like the free sample at Costco—nice, but not the main meal.

So, the next time you watch the Chaser calmly select a "pushback" question that torpedoes a contestant’s dreams, remember: they’re not doing it for the £500 per episode. They’re doing it for the prestige, the fear, and the very real possibility that, after the show, they’ll go sell a signed copy of their autobiography for £40 a pop.

In conclusion: the answer is "between a dinner for two and a used car." And that’s perfectly fine, because the real entertainment is watching them pretend to hate it when they clearly love every second of the carnage.