close
close

Bradley Walsh handed huge pay rise worth MILLIONS to stay on The Chase in brand new deal as ITV bosses fear he could leave the show

Posted on by Sweet
Bradley Walsh handed huge pay rise worth MILLIONS to stay on The Chase in brand new deal as ITV bosses fear he could leave the show

By JORDAN BECK FOR MAILONLINE

Published: | Updated:

Bradley Walsh has reportedly been offered a £4million deal to stay on The Chase.

The former Coronation Street star, 64, has hosted the ITV1 quiz show since its inception in 2009 and the series still regularly attracts up to five million viewers.

He is estimated to receive £3.5 million a year, but bosses are said to have added £500,000 to his salary amid fears he will quit.

A source told The Sun: “Bradley is one of the channel’s most popular presenters and is extremely likeable.

“During negotiations to renew his contract, ITV bosses feared he would quit if he was unhappy with his package.

“There was a real fear that he might go away.”

Bradley Walsh has reportedly been offered a £4million deal to stay on The Chase before his 16th birthday.

The former Coronation Street star, 64, has been at the helm of the ITV1 quiz show since its inception in 2009 and the series still regularly attracts up to five million viewers.

The show is approaching its 16th year on the air and insiders told the outlet that everyone at the broadcaster is “delighted” that Bradley has decided to stay.

Bradley has been a mainstay of ITV for years, having fronted Wheel of Fortune for them in the late 1990s.

In the early 2000s he appeared as Danny Baldwin, the boss of Underworld, in their flagship soap opera, but also worked extensively for the BBC.

He played Graham O’Brien in their sci-fi series Doctor Who and also hosted a revival of Blankety Blank for them in recent years.

Bradley and his son Barney hosted the BBC’s acclaimed revival of Gladiators in 2024 and the series was renewed for a second series.

In 2022, he returned to drama with his role in the short-lived reboot of The Larkins for ITV.

But according to reports, Bradley’s new salary will be paid via PAYE rather than through his own limited company and he will therefore pay more tax on his income.

MailOnline has contacted Bradley’s representatives for comment.

In the early 2000s, he appeared as Underworld boss Danny Baldwin in Coronation Street, who was the nephew of legendary character Mike Baldwin (Johnny Briggs, pictured).

Bradley and his son Barney (pictured) hosted the BBC’s acclaimed revival of Gladiators in 2024 and the series has been renewed for a second series.

As host of The Chase, Bradley asks questions to both contestants and quizzers and, as such, he has been at the center of some of the game’s most viral moments.

The format of The Chase sees legendary quizzers Anne Hegerty, Mark Labbett, Jenny Ryan, Darragh Ennis and Shaun Wallace take on members of the public.

As host of the series, Bradley asks questions to both contestants and quizzers and, as such, he has been at the center of some of gaming’s most viral moments.

He has previously claimed that he would be incredibly bored if he did any other show than The Chase.

He told RNZ: “If I did I wouldn’t mention them, but if I did any other shows I’d be bored out of my mind. But the fact is, no two shows are ever the same on The Chase.