From the moment I stepped on to the oversized set, I realised I should’ve thrown all my expectations out the window. This was as real as it comes, and even more nail-biting and intense than seeing it on TV.
Every gulp, every heartbeat, every smile or nervous laugh was on display. Sure, the contestants probably rehearsed the banter in their heads, and Henry’s autocue definitely had talking points, but that didn’t take away from the fact I was sitting there not knowing what would actually happen.
I didn’t expect real emotion – or genuine concern and support from Henry towards the contestants – but boy, did I get it. This will make some stunning TV viewing.
Kiwi buzzer voices, supersized sets
The emotion was heightened by the high-tech set-up, with the massive studio full of gizmos and gadgets.
The set itself was the one you see on the Australian version of the show, but seeing it in real life, it was gigantic. The scale of the Chaser’s “money board” alone made me feel like a mouse, so I can only imagine what the contestants halfway across the room thought.
Buzzer buttons were linked to sophisticated computer screens in both a control room and a production set-up to the side of the main stage. To keep with the Kiwi theme, producers even went as far as to change the “buzzer voice” that shouts out the contestant’s name to a New Zealand accent instead of a British one.
From behind my spot at the producer’s desk, I could see the question, the correct answer, and which buttons everyone pressed. All were colour-coded to make it easier for producers to recognise.
And yes, the contestants really didn’t have a clue about who their Chaser was going to be, so their reactions to meeting them for the first time were genuine (the Kiwis were absolutely rapt when they saw Hagerty). This was enforced as far back as the green room, where the Chasers were separated from the contestants at all times.
Another thing that struck me was the sound, as contrary to popular belief, there was no live studio audience on the set.
Besides the stings (you know, that typical Chase theme song we all hum along to every night), the buzzer voices and contestants talking, there was an eerie silence during takes that only heightened the tension.
I was pleasantly surprised when the production crew and I were encouraged to clap when people got something right or laugh when something was funny, as it would no doubt be dubbed over in post-production.
Let the games begin
The format of the show is the same as the UK version, starting with a cash builder, followed by a head-to-head by each contestant, and then to the final chase.
While the bulk of the show was shot chronologically, the contestant introductions and some of the host bits and promo material weren’t. Everything related to the actual quizzing was run as you see it on TV, with a few minor stops in between quiz sections.
It was during these little stops that you could feel the tension the most, but the production crew were highly attentive to the needs of the contestants, providing water, assurance and makeup touch-ups, because studio lights can be brutal.
When the Chaser “offered” a higher or lower amount of money, this was predetermined depending on how much was won during the cash builder. Producers quickly told the Chaser the options before they continued filming.
The selection of questions was an interesting blend of Kiwi geography, sport and music mixed with wider general knowledge. Some were very simple, others I would’ve had a hard time figuring out on my own.
I would also be safe in saying the bar was set high for host Paul Henry, but he delivered. A consummate professional, he oozed charisma and made the contestants (both during takes and in between filming) feel at ease. This was a man who genuinely wanted people to win, while still delivering his trademark, cheek-by-jowl digs and fits of hysterical laughter when the time was right.
But even professionals like Henry make mistakes, and when he did during the quiz segments, an interesting process took place.
On one occasion during the final chase, Henry accidentally said the answer to the question instead of saying “stop the clock” and giving the contestants a chance to push the Chaser back.
When this happened, production was paused, the clock reset to the time before the question was asked, and a new question was put in its place.
There was also a time when the validity of the Chaser’s answer was scrutinised.
A question about what sport required a pinsetter caused the production team to pause and research online for clarity. Hagerty, in her final chase, said indoor bowls, which was accepted by a team of producers as the acceptable UK term for what we would call tenpin bowling.
No matter the result, the clock was always reset with pinpoint accuracy to allow fairness.
Once the final chase was over and the cameras stopped rolling, it was nice to see both Henry and Hagerty go and speak to the contestants about their experience, a memory I’m sure they will treasure.
‘So much easier at home’
After the show, the contestants were thanked by the production team (and, if they won, details for winnings were sorted out) and then escorted from the studio.
On the way out, I managed to chat to two contestants who had made the trip over from New Zealand to film.
Both told me they’d had a blast and hailed it as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”.
“I think the final chase threw us a bit in terms of just jumping in there with the buzzer and being confident with it,” one said.
“I think it’s something you need to practise, and you never get the opportunity to.
“It’s just so much easier when you’re at home,” added the other.
“We bonded really quickly and became friends in a very short period of time and just had a really good time together.”
Like me, they were surprised at how unfiltered the experience was and how quickly things moved.
They thought a lot of it would be put together later on and that the set would look different.
“But what you see on TV is what we walked into just then. It’s all very real.”
They gave credit to Henry, applauding the way he handled the contestants.
“I think Paul, after the All Blacks coach, has just about the second-hardest job in the country at the moment.”
As the pair walked off to enjoy the rest of their weekend in Sydney, I was left to reflect on my whirlwind experience in the belly of the beast that is the studio for The Chase.
This isn’t your ordinary Chase – it’s got Kiwi heart, humour, and soul – all the right ingredients for an addictive (and real) quiz show feast.
Mitchell Hageman joined the Herald’s entertainment and lifestyle team in 2024. He previously worked as a multimedia journalist for Hawke’s Bay Today.
