In a twist of fate, The Chase contestant Tom’s victory was overshadowed by heartbreak. Tom, hailing from Twickenham, graced the ITV quiz show stage, hosted by Bradley Walsh, with his episode broadcast on 17 December 2024.
The ex-soldier, who had just left the army a week before his appearance, created an unforgettable moment by confessing he had unintentionally applied for what he thought was Hunted, only to be faced with a general knowledge standoff against Chaser Mark ‘The Beast’ Labbett.
Opting for a moderate £6,000, Tom triumphantly secured his spot in the final Chase and contributed to the collective prize pot. Remarkably, his team departed £3,000 richer after a rare victory.
Recounting his use of the prize money to Express, Tom revealed: “On the episode they asked what I wanted to do with the money, and I said I wanted to get a dog. And I did, I got a dog.”
However, in a tragic turn, his new canine companion Sammy tragically died after being hit by a car on December 17, 2023, coincidentally the very day Tom’s winning episode aired two years following its recording, reports the Express.
He shared how this impacted him following the congratulations for his win, Tom added: “So, I had all these people messaging me saying ‘congrats on winning, are you going to buy a dog?”
Tom added somberly: “And I’ve been like, ‘I did, but very sadly he passed away’. It’s so sad.”
He shared: “Having a puppy was the best thing that ever happened to me. Even though the last year has been tough, like I’ve had a broken leg and my career has been slow and uncertain, I would say it’s been the best of my life because I had my puppy, Sammy.
“If I could redo any year of my life, it would be this one. If I could do it again, I’d take all the s**t stuff, put up with the pain and the rubbish, just to spend one more day with my puppy.”
Delving deeper into the mechanics of the show, Tom revealed that he received his prize money almost immediately after his participation.
He recounted: “They told us ‘we don’t know exactly when your money will come in, but it won’t be too long’. I remember one day I checked my bank account and three grand had just landed in there.”
The Chase continues weekdays on ITV from 5pm.