The Chase enthusiasts have slammed ITV chiefs following a tense round that took an unexpected twist.
In the episode aired on Wednesday (December 11), host Bradley Walsh introduced a new set of contestants eager to snatch the substantial cash prize.
Viewers settling in for the evening's entertainment saw Adrian step up to the plate, joining three other contestants in a bid to outsmart chaser Paul Sinha and pocket a hefty sum.
Adrian, hailing from Oldham, brought a commendable £7k from his cash builder round and bravely decided to chase the high offer of £40k, leaving viewers perched on the edge of their seats.
However, when Adrian stumbled on a question, Bradley couldn't resist a jibe: "Do you think he gets it wrong?" referring to chaser Paul 'The Sinnerman' Sinha, before soliciting predictions from the team, reports the Express.
Fortune favoured Adrian as The Sinnerman also fluffed the answer, sparing him from being knocked out. But moments later, Adrian faltered on another seemingly straightforward question, which should have sent him packing empty-handed.
To the audience's amazement, The Sinnerman repeated his mistake, prompting suspicions among viewers about the sequence of events being "scripted".
"What a fu**ing fix this is," raged one viewer. "That was 100% scripted, them asking if they think the Chaser will get it wrong when, in fact, he gets it wrong. Classic ITV," wrote another. (sic)
A third chimed in: "Why did the chaser getting that wrong feel scripted?" The team was sitting pretty with £46k in the pot after the first contestant, Elena, secured a cool £6k, leaving them with a hefty sum halfway through the show.
"He's still in! Oh, I can't handle this drama! " exclaimed an excited viewer. Another commented: "It was an unexpected goal by Paul there. It was easy at home, of course, but Mercury is the smallest and the closest."
The tension ramped up when contestant Ben managed to earn only £2k in his cash builder round but controversially decided to go for a lower offer of minus £7k.
This move sparked outrage among viewers, as it would reduce the team's total to £39k. One irate fan remarked: "He shouldn't be allowed any money I would be foaming if he was on my team. -7 seriously?"
Another agreed, saying: "That guy took -£7,000!! I would have pushed him off his stool". However, the strategy paid off for Ben, who successfully returned to the team for the final round.
Even the chaser, Paul, weighed in to reassure the contestant, saying: "You had their (the team) blessing you took the lower offer. it's a tactical game - you're fine." In the end, despite their efforts, the team was defeated in the final chase and left with nothing.
The Chase airs Mondays-Fridays at 5pm on ITV1.