The Chase has delivered plenty of dramatic moments over its 17-year run — but nothing quite like this.

On Wednesday, February 18, 2026, viewers watching the teatime ITV favourite were left open-mouthed as 6ft 6in quiz giant Mark Labbett — aka The Beast — completely lost his rag after being beaten by just ONE POINT in the final chase.

The 60-year-old professional quizzer, known for his towering presence and ruthless intellect, seethed “Well played, guys” before storming off the set, bashing everything in sight as he went.

Host Bradley Walsh, 65, was left absolutely stunned. Throwing his hands in the air in disbelief, the much-loved presenter declared: “Oh, the big bad boy of quizzing is off… he’s bashing everything and he’s lost his cool completely.”

“Well, that’s the way it goes,” Bradley added, trying to keep things light. “It’s a very, very, very fine margin, folks, it really is.”

What happened next has sent shockwaves through the world of daytime TV. Clips of the moment have gone viral on social media, with fans divided between calling Mark a “sore loser” and insisting the whole thing was “scripted for the gag”. But one thing is certain — this was no ordinary defeat.

THE JAW-DROPPING MOMENT THAT HAS EVERYONE TALKING

The episode had been ticking along nicely. Four fresh contestants — Paul, 39, a primary school teacher; Babs, 58, a housewife; Joe, 24, a PhD student; and Helen, 61, a retired civil servant — had built a very respectable £17,000 prize pot.

They each took on The Beast in the head-to-head rounds and somehow all made it through to the final chase — a rare achievement against one of the show’s toughest chasers.

In the final round the team set a formidable target of 19 correct answers. Mark, sitting at his famous podium, had to match or beat it within the time limit.

It was agonisingly close from the very first question.

At one point Mark even slipped up on a celebrity question: “Which Hollywood actor has an identical twin called Sami Malek?” He confidently answered “Remy Malek” — but the correct answer was Rami Malek. The contestants had also said “Remi”, so the push-back opportunities kept coming.

The tension built with every second. With just one second left on the clock and one question still to go, a desperate Mark blurted out a single word: “Cheese!”

It was wrong.

The team had won by the narrowest of margins — a single point.

As the four contestants erupted in wild celebration, jumping up and down and hugging each other, Mark remained seated for a split second, his face like thunder. Then came the icy “Well played, guys” before he pushed back his chair, stood up to his full intimidating height and marched straight off the set — visibly bashing the scenery as he disappeared from view.

Bradley, never one to miss a beat, summed it up perfectly for the nation: “He’s off.”

WHO ARE THE LUCKY CONTESTANTS WHO BEAT THE BEAST?

Paul, the 39-year-old primary school teacher from somewhere in the Midlands, was the strongest player in the cash builder, banking a solid amount before facing Mark head-to-head.

Babs, 58, the bubbly housewife and self-confessed quiz fanatic, admitted she watches The Chase “religiously every single day” and couldn’t believe she was actually on it.

Joe, the 24-year-old PhD student studying something suitably brainy, brought youthful energy and quick recall to the team.

And Helen, 61, the retired civil servant, proved age is no barrier with some impressive general knowledge that helped push the target to 19.

Together they walked away with £4,250 each — a life-changing sum for some, and a story they’ll tell for the rest of their lives.

One insider on the show told the Mail last night: “They were over the moon. They couldn’t believe they’d beaten The Beast by one point. When Mark walked off they just stood there laughing in disbelief.”

WHY THIS WALK-OFF WAS DIFFERENT — AND THE SEVENTH TIME IT’S HAPPENED

Mark Labbett is no stranger to dramatic exits. This was reportedly the seventh time The Beast has stormed off the set in the show’s history.

Long-time fans will remember the 2020 episode when he punched the wall in frustration after losing the final round. There have been other occasions where he’s marched off muttering under his breath or simply refused to hang around for the usual end-of-show chat.

But this one felt different.

The margin was razor-thin. The “cheese” guess was pure desperation. And for a man who has made his living — and his fortune — from being the smartest person in the room, losing by a single point clearly stung.

A source close to the production said: “Mark is the ultimate competitor. He hates losing at the best of times, but when it’s that close and he feels he gave it away… you could see the frustration boiling over.”

Bradley, who has worked with Mark for more than 15 years, handled the moment with his usual charm and quick wit — but even he looked genuinely taken aback.

FANS DIVIDED: ‘SORE LOSER’ OR ‘JUST MARK BEING MARK’?

Social media exploded within minutes of the episode airing.

On X (formerly Twitter), the hashtag #TheChase trended within an hour, with thousands posting the same stunned reaction.

“Mark is a sore loser!” wrote one viewer. “Most scripted Beast walk-off ever. Absolutely done that for the gag,” said another.

Others were more sympathetic: “Mark will generally accept defeat graciously, but he’s more annoyed with himself I reckon, for pretty much giving that one away.”

A third posted: “#thechase Mark a poor loser not as good as he thinks he is.”

The debate raged all evening. Some accused the show of staging the drama for ratings. Others pointed out that Mark has always worn his heart on his sleeve — that’s part of what makes him so watchable.

Even the official The Chase Twitter account joined in with a cheeky post: “When the margin is that fine… 🧀” alongside the cheese emoji.

By Thursday morning the clip had been viewed millions of times on YouTube, TikTok and Facebook, with reaction videos pouring in from around the world.

THE MAN BEHIND THE BEAST — MARK LABBETT’S REMARKABLE JOURNEY

Mark Labbett was born in 1965 in Tiverton, Devon. A former maths teacher with a genius-level IQ, he first appeared on The Chase when the show launched in 2009.

At 6ft 6in and weighing over 20 stone at his heaviest (he has since slimmed down dramatically), he cut an imposing figure from day one. Producers knew instantly they had found their star chaser.

Over the years he has become one of the most recognisable faces on British television — winning legions of fans who love his dry humour, encyclopaedic knowledge and occasional outbursts.

He’s appeared on countless spin-offs including Beat The Chasers, where the walk-offs have been even more frequent.

Off screen, Mark has had his share of personal drama. His marriage to fellow quizzer Katie ended in divorce, and he has spoken openly about his battle with his weight and finding love again later in life.

But on The Chase, he is simply The Beast — the ultimate quiz machine who rarely loses.

Until Wednesday.

BRADLEY WALSH: THE PERFECT HOST WHO ALWAYS SAVES THE DAY

Bradley Walsh, the former footballer turned actor and presenter, has been the glue holding The Chase together since the very first episode.

His quick wit, warmth and ability to laugh at absolutely anything have made him a national treasure.

In Wednesday’s episode he once again proved why he’s irreplaceable — turning a potentially awkward moment into television gold with his deadpan “He’s off” and follow-up commentary.

Fans flooded social media with praise for Bradley: “Only Bradley could make that moment hilarious,” wrote one. “Legend,” said another.

Bradley himself has spoken in the past about how much he loves working with the chasers — describing them as “like family”.

Whether he’ll be teasing Mark mercilessly when they next film remains to be seen.

THE HISTORY OF DRAMATIC MOMENTS ON THE CHASE

This wasn’t the first time emotions have run high on the show.

There was the time a contestant won £100,000 in Beat The Chasers and Mark joked “I’ll get my coat”.

The infamous 2020 wall-punching incident.

The episode where Bradley slammed a contestant for a “ridiculous” answer about the world’s ugliest dog.

And let’s not forget the many times chasers have celebrated wildly when beating huge targets.

But Mark’s latest exit has topped them all for sheer theatre.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT FOR THE BEAST?

Production sources insist Mark will be back for the next episode — “probably with a smile and a joke about cheese”.

The show’s bosses are said to be “delighted” with the buzz the moment has created, with viewing figures expected to spike when the episode is repeated.

As for the four winning contestants, they are said to be “still on cloud nine” and planning how to spend their £4,250 windfalls.

One of them told friends: “We’ll never forget that day. Beating The Beast by one point and then watching him storm off — it was surreal.”

THE CHASE: STILL THE KING OF DAYTIME QUIZ SHOWS AFTER ALL THESE YEARS

Since launching in 2009, The Chase has become a national institution.

It has aired thousands of episodes, made millionaires out of ordinary people, and turned its chasers into household names: The Beast, The Governess, The Sinnerman, The Vixen, The Menace and The Dark Destroyer.

The format is simple but brilliant — cash builder rounds, head-to-head chases, and the nail-biting final chase against the clock.

Viewers love the mix of genuine tension, brilliant questions and the warm banter between Bradley and the chasers.

Wednesday’s episode reminded everyone why the show is still must-watch television in 2026.

SO WAS IT A GENUINE MELTDOWN OR JUST GREAT TV?

The truth is probably a bit of both.

Mark Labbett is a fiercely competitive man who hates losing — especially when victory was so close he could taste it.

But he’s also a seasoned performer who knows exactly how to give the audience what they want.

Either way, the moment was pure television gold.

As Bradley Walsh so perfectly put it: “It’s a very, very, very fine margin.”

And on this occasion, that margin proved too much for even The Beast to handle.

The Chase continues on ITV1 weekdays at 5pm — and you can bet millions will be tuning in to see if Mark returns with his usual swagger… or whether the “cheese” incident will be mentioned again.

One thing’s for certain — The Beast is back. And he’ll be hungrier than ever.