Entertainment
The Chase star Darragh Ennis: ‘I’d like to present University Challenge if Jeremy Paxman retires – but the Beast wouldn’t be happy’
The Chase star Darragh Ennis has revealed he’d love to host classic quiz show University Challenge – even though his co-star Mark ‘The Beast’ Labbett wouldn’t be happy about it.
The 40-year-old has made a big impression as the most recent addition to The Chase, and he’s now revealed the other shows he’d love to host in the future.
Darragh, who is a postdoctoral researcher at Oxford University, first won over show bosses after appearing as a contestant in 2017. He joined the show as a chaser in 2020 – and he has big aspirations outside of the programme.
Speaking to Metro.co.uk, Darragh said: ‘I love a lot of shows but like the problem is they’ve got brilliant presenters already.’
University Challenge and Only Connect are two programmes he’d happily step up to host in the future, although he’d be worried about upsetting fans.
He said: ‘I love Only Connect. I’m a nerd and every quiz nerd loves Only Connect, but I would shudder to think how much of a backlash there would be if I replaced the glorious Victoria Coren Mitchell.’
Darragh added: ‘I’d like to do University Challenge if [Jeremy] Paxman ever retires, but I think the Beast might get a bit upset because he’s definitely a much better fit for it than I am.
‘There’d be no hanging around from contestants if he was presenting,’ he added, referencing Mark’s more direct approach.
He’d have some big boots to fill. Jeremy has hosted University Challenge since 1994, while Victoria has overseen Only Connect since 2008.
Quizzer extraordinaire Darragh also said that he’d like to host education shows based around teaching biology in the future.
Darragh – who is preparing to star in his first series of Beat the Chasers next month – also spoke about his co-stars. Since joining the show he’s faced contestants alongside Mark, Shaun Wallace, Anne Hegerty, Paul Sinha and Jenny Ryan.
They’re some of the most well-respected quizzers in the country. But which would he choose to play alongside him in a pub quiz team if he could only pick one?
‘Oh Paul, no doubt. No question,’ Darragh said. ‘All of the others would pick Paul as well. He was the British champion two years ago.
‘If it was a general quiz, I would pick Paul or Jenny because their interests are different to mine. As a team we’d do better.’
He added: ‘The last one I’d pick would be Mark, because me and Mark are interested in the same things. He’s into military history and geography and all the things that I like.’
Elsewhere, The Chase’s Anne Hegerty has admitted the coronavirus lockdown was a blessing in disguise after her workload left her feeling burnt out.
Beat The Chasers will air nightly at 9pm on ITV from May 3 to May 7. The Chase airs on weekdays at 5pm on ITV.
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