Mark Andrew Labbett[1] (born 15 August 1965), also known by his professional nickname "The Beast", is an English professional quizzer and television personality. Since 2009 he has been one of the "chasers" on the ITV game show The Chase.[2]
He previously appeared between 2013 and 2015 on GSN's American version as their sole chaser; between 2016 and 2020 as one of six chasers on the Australian version; and as one of four chasers in the second season of ABC's American revival and from late February 2022 rejoined the Australian version of the show.[3][4][5]
Labbett has appeared as a contestant on several other television quiz shows and is a regular in quizzing competitions.
Labbett became interested in quizzing when working at Butlins holiday camp, where he supplemented his income with winnings from the quiz machines.[9] His pub quiz team won a weekend in Paris in April 2001 after competing in the national competition Jumbo Quiz.[10]
Labbett appeared on Mastermind in 1999, where his specialist subject was the Olympic Games.[11] He appeared again on Mastermind in 2000, with the animated television show The Simpsons as his specialist subject.[12] Also in 2000, he competed on Countdown, narrowly losing his first game on a crucial conundrum.[13] In 2001, he appeared on Stake Out, where he was the second contestant eliminated during the Face Off round. In 2003, he appeared on Grand Slam, where he lost against Clive Spate in his first match.[14]
In 2004, he won £500 on the Channel 5 show BrainTeaser, and a year later he won £1,500 on BBC One's SUDO-Q.[9] He appeared on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? twice, firstly on fastest finger first in Series 18 broadcast on 5 November 2005. He returned the following series (19) and made the hot seat, winning £32,000 across two episodes in April 2006. In 2005, he also won £32,000 on Millionaire Live, a live version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? that toured seaside resorts throughout the summer.[9][15]
In 2016, Labbett took part in the three-part ITV series Sugar Free Farm, when he revealed he has false teeth, as a result of eating too much sugar.[20][21] That same year, it was announced that he would become a producer for Hull-based wrestling promotion New Generation Wrestling (NGW).[22]
Labbett is one of the "chasers" in the ITV teatime quiz The Chase, first broadcast in 2009 and hosted by Bradley Walsh. In the show, his nickname is "the Beast",[23] a two-pronged nickname referencing both his stature and his surname (Labbett sounds like the French la bête, meaning "the beast").
In August 2013, Labbett appeared as the only chaser on the American version of The Chase on Game Show Network. He also appeared as one of the seven chasers on the Australian version of The Chase on the Seven Network, alongside fellow UK chasers Anne Hegerty and Shaun Wallace.[4] His weakest subjects are horse racing and soap operas.[24] He noted that the American version posed far more difficulties for him, as American game shows typically allow far more competent contestants than British or Australian shows.[25]
Labbett joined ABC's US revival of The Chase for its second season.[2] Although ABC had considered adding Labbett to the show with its first season,[26] his contract was not renewed for the third.[5]
Personal life
Labbett moved to Caldicot, Monmouthshire, in 1998 and then to nearby Newport in 2003 before moving to Moorgate, Rotherham, in 2013.[27][28]
Labbett married his second cousin Katie in 2014, who is 27 years his junior.[29][30] They separated in 2020. Together they had a son.[31]
Following Labbett's separation from his wife, in early 2023, he began dating television presenter Hayley Palmer.[32] The relationship ended in 2024.[33]
^Smale, Will (17 April 2001). "PUB QUIZ TEAM IS GIVEN PRIZE GRILLING". South Wales Echo. Western Mail and Echo Ltd. p. 16.
^ abHutchinson, Clare (13 October 2009). "'Come on, Paxman, if you think you're hard enough...' says wicked Humphrys ; Questions at 20 paces in quiz duel – and we'll even make it easy for you Humphrys". The Western Mail. Western Mail and Echo Ltd. p. 14.
