The Chase contestant who died months after winning £100k took news of jackpot to his grave

Fans of The Chasewere wowed by the quizzing prowess ofTim McCarthy, who took home an astonishing £100,000 during what was to be a rollercoaster episode. Many of those tuning in to watch Tim's victory, however, may not have been aware that the retired headteacher had sadly passed away a month before his appearance was broadcast, taking the secret of his victory to the grave.

64-year-old Tim, from Tyldesley, Greater Manchester, passed away on July 19 following a long illness. His wife, Rachel McCarthy, has since revealed that her clever husband Tim had been diagnosed with a terminal condition before filming the show in October last year.

Despite knowing he only had a limited time left to live, huge Chase fan Tim was determined to proceed as a competitor, an opportunity that had been on his "bucket list". It's understood that Tim was "overjoyed" by his significant win, however, under the strict rules of the show, Tim had to keep his victory a secret.

Prior to his death, only Rachel and his three children were aware of Tim's besting of formidable Chaser, Jenny "The Vixen" Ryan, in what was a nerve-shredding battle of bold moves and unexpected twists.

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Rachel, who remembers Tim as "the most clever man I ever knew", told BBC News: "It was a very narrow victory, but he won. He was overjoyed when he won, but we had to keep it secret - he beat The Chaser by a second with his fellow competitor."

In a heartbreaking turn of events, Tim didn't have time left to enjoy his well-deserved prize money. Rachel shared: "Sadly, we never got to spend his £50,000 prize as his health deteriorated and we couldn't even go on a holiday."

Last night (August 27), Tim's family and friends crowded into a Manchester pub to watch Tim and his teammates triumph, having had no clue about the achievement he'd kept quiet about in his final months.

The nail-biting episode saw Tim compete side by side with teammates Lorcan, Shirin, and Julie, pitting their general knowledge against The Vixen. Lorcan added £5,000 to the pot, while both Shirin and Julie were knocked out during their individual rounds. After a wobbly start, with just £1,000 in the cash builder, Tim courageously chose the highest offer of £95,000 during his own head-to-head, with his gamble ultimately paying off.

Roars of appreciation rang out in the pub yesterday evening, as Tim's loved ones finally witnessed him in action. For Rachel, it was a proud yet poignant moment. She reflected, "He was so excited when he got accepted to go on the show. I watched it last night to prepare myself - it is a tough day, but I posted on Facebook that I want it to be a celebration of his life."

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com

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