The identity of a mysterious new guest star on The Chase spin-off Beat the Chasers has been unmasked.
The season finale of ITV's Beat the Chasers introduced a masked figure known as Maverick, who joined the show wearing a red and black disguise and speaking through a voice modulator.
UK media reported he replaced Darragh 'The Menace' Ennis for a one-off appearance.
Many viewers were convinced the mystery guest was British comedian Jasper Carrott, known for his past appearances on quiz shows.
"Convinced it’s Jasper Carrott," one person wrote.
"I'll be shocked if it’s not," said another.
But the big reveal came at the end of the episode, when Maverick removed the mask and voice filter and unveiled himself as UK comedian Joe Pasquale, known for his stand-up comedy and appearances on British television.
Host Bradley Walsh was stunned. "I should have twigged. You got all the ones about the rocks. He’s a geologist, he’s actually a qualified geologist," he said.
Pasquale described his guest appearance as "an absolute honour," joking: "I’m like artificial intelligence, but without the intelligence."
Beat the Chasers pits contestants against multiple Chasers at once in a fast-paced battle for big cash prizes.
The current team includes Mark 'The Beast' Labbett, Shaun 'The Dark Destroyer' Wallace, Anne 'The Governess' Hegerty, Paul 'The Sinnerman' Sinha, Jenny 'The Vixen' Ryan, and Ennis.
Contestants begin by answering multiple-choice questions in a rapid-fire first round to build up their cash total. The round ends either when they get five questions right or miss one.
From there, they’re offered a choice: face a smaller number of Chasers for a lower prize, or take on more Chasers for a shot at a much bigger payout. The more Chasers they choose to face, the tougher the challenge becomes.
New Zealand is preparing to launch its own version of The Chase, becoming the 22nd country to adopt the format.
Paul Henry will host the local series and is joined by The Governess and Issa Schultz "The Supernerd" as chasers.
The four part series will premiere on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+ on November 3, at 7.30pm.
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