Larry Emdur has shrugged off speculation about his future as host of Seven’s The Chase Australia, insisting the long-running game show is in strong shape despite recent ratings pressure.
The veteran television presenter, who even jokes about being “TV’s most axed man”, addressed the rumours during an interview with GOLD 101.7’s Jonesy and Amanda, saying, “The Chase is going well… it’s going great,” amid mounting scrutiny over the show’s performance and his role at the helm.
The comments come in response to a column published by news.com.au’s Annette Sharp, which claimed Emdur’s position was “under review” and that Seven was exploring alternative programming options to reverse a downturn in audience numbers.
Emdur even jokes about being “TV’s most axed man” on his own Instagram page
Ratings rivalry
Since its debut in January 2024, Nine’s Tipping Point, hosted by Todd Woodbridge, has made a significant dent in The Chase’s once-dominant position in the competitive 5pm slot.
In the five-city metro markets, Tipping Point is averaging a lead of 113,000 viewers over The Chase, based on year-on-year data from weeks 5 to 16.
It’s a shift that has intensified pressure within Seven, especially given the crucial role the 5pm game show plays in delivering audiences to the 6pm news bulletin.
According to OzTAM data, Tipping Point drew an average audience of 504,000 last week, up 19% compared to the same period last year. By contrast, The Chase averaged 355,000 viewers, down 6% year-on-year.
The show hasn’t won a full ratings week in the five-city metros since February, adding fuel to speculation about its long-term stability.
Over the past five weekdays (Friday 2 May – Thursday 8 May) alone Tipping Point has consistently outperformed The Chase.
On each of these days, Tipping Point drew a larger national audience, with the margin varying between a narrow 1.4% lead on 6 May 6 to a more significant 13.6% gap on 8 May.
Across the five-day period from May 2 to May 8, Tipping Point averaged approximately 1.46 million viewers, while The Chase averaged around 1.37 million, a difference of nearly 7%.
Tipping Point host Todd Woodbridge
Seven pushes back
A spokesperson for Seven flatly denied that Emdur’s position is in jeopardy.
“The Chase doesn’t need reviving! It remains very competitive in its timeslot, delivering a big audience night in, night out,” the network said in a statement to Mediaweek. “Larry will absolutely continue to host The Chase.”