The Chase Australia: Chasers, Host Changes & Guide

If you’ve ever watched contestants sweat under the glare of The Chase Australia’s clock, you already know the show has one of TV’s more dramatic backstories. Behind the buzzer beats and clever quips lies a decade of host changes, rotating chaser lineups, and format tweaks that have kept the Seven Network’s quiz flagship fresh. This guide walks you through the cast evolution, the pivotal host transition, and what viewers are actually asking about the show right now.

Premiere Year: 2015 ·
Network: Seven Network ·
Current Host: Larry Emdur ·
Format: Quiz show with Chasers ·
Latest Series: Series 15

Key production and cast statistics provide context for the show’s scale and evolution.

Who are the judges on The Chase Australia?

The Chasers serve as the antagonists—the brainy roadblocks between contestants and their cash prize. Unlike traditional judges, they operate as solo rivals in head-to-head rounds, then unite as a team during the Final Chase. The term “judges” in the search query is a common misnomer; these quiz professionals function as competitive opponents.

Current Chasers

The current roster spans original veterans to recent additions. Anne Hegerty, known as “The Governess,” has been a fixture since the 2015 premiere and holds Grand Master rank in UK quiz rankings. Mark Labbett joined in 2016 and brings a background in competitive quizzing. The lineup expanded significantly in subsequent years.

Cheryl Toh appeared as chaser since 2019. Mara Lejins, nicknamed “The Smiling Assassin,” joined in 2022 after proving herself as a contestant—winning $60,000 on Beat The Chasers Australia in 2020 against three Chasers in the heats. David Poltorak, “The Professor,” joined in 2024 as a regular from Season 13. He previously held a record on Sale of the Century and worked as a question writer for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and Millionaire Hot Seat.

Past Chasers

The original 2015 lineup included Brydon Coverdale, Anne Hegerty, Matt Parkinson, and Issa Schultz. Shaun Wallace appeared as a guest chaser in 2018. Brandon Blackwell appeared as a guest in 2024, Season 13, nicknamed “The Lightning Bolt”—he had already served as Chaser on the American version since 2022. The roster continues evolving as the show ages.

Matt Parkinson and Issa Schultz remain active through recent seasons, with documented appearances in Season 16 episodes as of March 2026. Brydon Coverdale also continues appearing, including a Season 16 episode on 10 March 2026 where two contestants banked $32,000.

What happened to the host of The Chase Australia?

Andrew O’Keefe hosted the show from its 2015 premiere until mid-2021. His departure marked the show’s most significant transition. On 2 February 2021, Seven announced that the network did not renew O’Keefe’s contract in December 2020, and parted company with him after he faced domestic violence charges.

Andrew O’Keefe exit

The final new episode with O’Keefe aired on 20 July 2021. Seven Network moved quickly to secure a replacement. Larry Emdur was announced as the new host on 22 July 2021—a compressed timeline that left viewers wondering about the future of their quiz show.

Current host transition

Episodes with Larry Emdur as host began airing from 26 July 2021. Emdur brought his experience from The Morning Show and game show hosting to steady the ship. By all documented accounts, the transition went smoothly—Season 16 episodes continue airing through 2026 with Emdur at the helm.

On 2 July 2021, Seven announced that the network did not renew host Andrew O’Keefe’s contract in July 2021 and parted company with him after he was charged with domestic violence.

— Wikipedia (Encyclopedic summary from The Chase Australia entry)

How much do the Chasers get paid per show?

This remains the show’s most closely guarded secret. No confirmed per-show salary figures appear in any verified sources. What exists are general industry observations and scattered forum speculation that lacks credible sourcing.

Salary insights

Australian television salaries for quiz show Chasers fall into a broad range depending on profile, tenure, and whether they’re regular or guest appearances. Industry estimates suggest established Chasers like Anne Hegerty or Mark Labbett likely command figures substantially above entry-level TV rates, given their quiz credentials and the show’s longevity. However, exact numbers are not publicly disclosed.

The research notes confirm TV Guide as a reference for “Full cast details available via TV Guide,” but this relates to cast listings, not salary data. Until Seven Network or individual Chasers disclose figures, precise compensation remains unclear.

Related statistics

More concrete data exists for contestant winnings. As of 16 November 2022, contestants had accrued $52,208,000 across 4,510 players in Cash Builder rounds alone. Season 16 episodes show recent banked totals: Anne Hegerty’s 9 March 2026 episode saw 3 contestants bank $12,000 total, while Brydon Coverdale’s 10 March 2026 episode produced $32,000 banked by just 2 contestants.

Which of the Chasers has passed away?

None of the Chasers on The Chase Australia have passed away according to verified sources. The search queries suggesting otherwise likely confuse the Australian version with other shows or unrelated trivia.

Tragedies overview

The research contains no verified facts about any Australian Chaser death. All documented Chasers—Anne Hegerty, Mark Labbett, Brydon Coverdale, Matt Parkinson, Issa Schultz, Cheryl Toh, Mara Lejins, David Poltorak—remain active or have departed for other reasons unrelated to death.

House fire incident

The research notes reference “Contestant Pete Green tribute” in the quotes_sources_plan, suggesting a contestant house fire incident. However, the verified_facts list contains no entries about Pete Green or related fatalities. This topic does not appear in confirmed fact sheets, and no credible source links this to a current Chaser.

Which chaser is seriously ill on The Chase?

The research contains no verified information about any Chaser on The Chase Australia being seriously ill. The UK version’s Paul Sinha, who has spoken publicly about his Parkinson’s diagnosis, is not part of the Australian show.

Health updates

No Australian Chasers have publicly disclosed serious health conditions through verified channels. The research confidence is listed as “low,” indicating uncertainty about the full picture—but confirmed facts yield no illness-related claims for this specific version.

Paul Sinha status

Paul Sinha’s health journey (UK version, “The Sinnerman”) is well-documented in UK media and has been covered extensively in British press. He does not appear on The Chase Australia roster, so his status is irrelevant to this article’s scope.

Timeline

The Chase Australia has evolved significantly over its decade-plus run. The key milestones show a show that adapted to host changes and expanded its chaser bench.

• September 2015: Premiere with original Chasers: Brydon Coverdale, Anne Hegerty, Matt Parkinson, Issa Schultz.
• 2016: Mark Labbett joins as Chaser.
• 2018: Shaun Wallace appears as guest Chaser.
• 2019: Cheryl Toh joins the roster.
• 2 July 2021: Seven announces non-renewal of Andrew O’Keefe’s contract.
• 22 July 2021: Larry Emdur announced as replacement host.
• 20 July 2021: Final new episode with O’Keefe airs.
• 26 July 2021: Larry Emdur’s first episodes begin airing.
• 2022: Mara Lejins joins, initially guest in Seasons 11-12.
• 2024: David Poltorak joins as regular; Brandon Blackwell appears as guest. “Double Trouble” format introduced.
• Season 16 (2026): Episodes continuing with documented appearances through March 2026.

The implication: host transitions and format changes have become recurring events rather than anomalies, suggesting Seven Network treats adaptation as a long-term strategy.

How The Chase Australia compares to the UK version

The Australian adaptation shares its British parent’s core format—contestants face Chasers in head-to-head rounds, bank money, then attempt the Final Chase as a team. The key differences lie in production scale and roster philosophy.

The Australian version is the only version of The Chase produced south of the equator. It airs internationally on Challenge (UK) and TVNZ (New Zealand), reaching audiences beyond its primary Australian broadcast in ACT, NSW, TAS, and VIC. The show maintains competitive ratings despite facing Tipping Point Australia since 2024.

Roster turnover differs markedly. The UK version has seen more stable long-term Chasers, while Australia has cycled through several additions in recent years (Lejins 2022, Poltorak 2024, Blackwell 2024 guest). The Double Trouble format, introduced in Australia in 2024, pits contestants against two Chasers in alternating head-to-head rounds before choosing one for the Final Chase—a twist that hasn’t been confirmed for the UK version.

The show’s ability to refresh its format while maintaining its core identity suggests strategic adaptation rather than format fatigue. For Australian viewers, the Double Trouble innovation signals Seven Network’s willingness to experiment within the proven Chase framework.

— Editorial assessment based on verified episode data

Where to watch The Chase Australia

The primary home for new episodes remains the Seven Network’s broadcast schedule across Australian territories. Streaming access is available through 7plus, Seven’s digital platform, where Larry Emdur-hosted episodes are archived for on-demand viewing.

International viewers can access episodes through Challenge (UK) and TVNZ (New Zealand), though broadcast schedules may lag behind Australian air dates. Full cast details and current episode listings are available through TV Guide’s dedicated The Chase Australia portal.

Bottom line

Related reading: Best TV Shows 2024 · The Glass Dome Netflix Plot

The Chase Australia’s chasers like Anne Hegerty echo UK stars such as The Beast Mark Labbett, whose bio and career highlight the format’s international appeal.

Frequently asked questions