“There Was Nothing Under My Feet”: The Chase Star Darragh Ennis Opens Up About Filming After Heartbreaking Loss
Darragh Ennis, best known as The Menace on ITV’s The Chase, has bravely opened up about the deep emotional toll of losing his father to dementia — and how the grief nearly broke him while filming the quiz show.
Appearing on Loose Women, Darragh revealed that after his dad passed away in July 2024, he returned to the show feeling completely lost. “I was just playing to a script,” he admitted. “When I went to put my feet down, there was nothing underneath them. They just fell away.”
Despite taking a natural break from filming, Darragh said the pressure of being back in the studio overwhelmed him. “Normally, I’d plant my feet and power through. But this time, I just couldn’t find that part of myself anymore.”
He shared that he grew camera shy and struggled to focus under time pressure — something previously second nature for the quiz star. Eventually, producers noticed his distress and offered him time off along with counselling support.
Darragh also confessed that he initially rejected help. “I shrugged it off at first. I didn’t want to admit I was drowning.” But once he accepted the support, he described it as life-saving.
In memory of his dad and to help others, Darragh is now an ambassador for grief charity At a Loss.
