Disappointed fans of The Chase took to social media on Wednesday (29 January) to express their frustration after tuning in to watch what they believed was a brand-new episode of the popular ITV quiz show, only to discover it was a repeat.

Despite ITV listing the episode as ‘new’ in TV schedules, observant viewers were swift to spot the error and did not hesitate to voice their discontent online. Several fans aired their grievances on social channels, with pointed remarks aimed at the network’s oversight.

One fan said: “Get your act together ITV, this episode was only aired about a week ago ffs….. #thechase.” Another said: “NEW #TheChase Don’t think so. This is a repeat! ! @ITV garbage.”

The sentiment continued with another chiming in: “Just turned on…probably already been noted, but this ‘new’ The Chase, is definitely a repeat #thechase.”

A fourth added: “This episode of #TheChase says new, yet it was on so recently I knew what the contestant was going to say before he said it. #repeat,” while a fifth viewer said: “If this is a repeat, can anyone remember if it’s worth watching? #TheChase.”

During the same episode, host Bradley Walsh surprised everyone by revealing an unexpected connection to one of the participants.

Among the contenders were Rachel, Sian, Noel, and Jon, all vying to secure a win and take home a cash prize, reports the Mirror.

Bradley was taken aback when Jon stepped up for his cash builder round on The Chase, as he felt a sense of recognition but couldn’t place him. Jon jogged his memory by mentioning their shared past on the football pitch for a noble cause decades earlier.

Jon reminisced about the match: “We actually played against each other for a charity match you were playing for Rod Stewart’s all-stars. There were three games, one at Wembley, one in Wigan and one at Rod’s house.”

The team squared off against the Vixen in this thrilling episode, with teammates Sian and Rachel getting knocked out early. It was left to Jon and Noel to compete in the final chase for a prize pot of £10,000.

Unfortunately, the formidable Chaser proved too much for them, and they left the game with nothing.

The Chase airs on weekdays at 5pm on ITV1