Fabian enjoys thrill of ‘The Chase’

DESPITE coming home empty-handed, popular Drumragh GAA club referee, Fabian McGlone, says his appearance on ITV quiz show, ‘The Chase’, was a ‘fantastic experience’ that he would ‘do again in the morning’.

Unfortunately for ‘Fabe’, he came up against the toughest ‘Chaser’, aptly named ‘The Beast’.

It all started so well for the Omagh quiz buff, who teaches in St Patrick’s Primary School in Newtownstewart, as he went in first in the quick-fire round, and took a mighty £9,000.

Bradley Walsh put him at ease as they chatted about Fabian’s scone-baking skills… Although the host admitted that Gaelic football is a game he will ‘never understand’!

The scene was set, as Fabian correctly answered ‘Crufts’ to the first question: “Baxer, the flat-coated Retriever, won ‘Best in Show’ at what?”

There was a heart-stopping moment when he chose option B – ‘Jim Barrie’ – as the answer to: ‘The statue of a character created by which author was unveiled in Kensington Gardens in 2012?’

Fabian immediately acknowledged that he should have chosen option A – ‘A.A. Milne’.

However, he punched the air with delight when it was revealed that he had actually chosen correctly.

For those unfamiliar with the format of the show, fear not – it takes more than one viewing to understand the rules!

Fabian was, next, offered £40,000 to go five steps from home, but declined, as it was ‘too risky’.

He explained, “I was tempted, as they don’t usually go that high, but, as I was first up, it would have been harder to get back. If I had been the third contestant on, I might have went for it.

“Bradley Walsh was great and put me totally at ease,” he added. “However, I’d have chosen any Chaser but ‘The Beast’. When he appeared, you could see me roll my eyes, and look up with a wry smile.

“There were two of us left, but he caught us before we got back.

“He said that I would have been better on my own, as it would have been quicker with more questions, without having to buzz in.”

Despite it all, Fabian had a great time, and received much local acclaim.

“I am not really disappointed,” he said.

“There are very few teams that win it, and the show is loaded in the Chaser’s favour. ‘The Beast’ is usually very begrudging, but he was very complimentary.

“He said, ‘They put the best Chaser on the best team!’

“It was brilliant,” Fabian reflected. “A couple of days after I got home, the show called to ask if everything was okay, and whether I was happy with the experience.

“The phone has not stopped since, and I’m running into people all the time who are saying ‘well done!’

“The kids at school were bouncing,” he smiled. “They loved it!

“It has all been very positive, and on social media, as well, I got a lot of compliments.

“I am 100 per-cent glad that I went – and I’d do it again in the morning!”