Many athletes were always destined to succeed in the world of sport – but there are those who leave fans wondering whether they could have thrived in other fields.
And one particular brainbox with serious Premier League pedigree raised just that question after a record-breaking appearance on The Chase. David James made an appearance on a Soccer Aid celebrity special episode of the ITV show in 2022 and became the first of his kind to amass an £11,000 cash-builder.
The ex-Manchester City and Liverpool star wasn't finished there, however, and returned to the panel to break another record in 2023 when he increased his total number of correct cash-builder answers to 21, at least three more than any other celebrity
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"You scored the highest ever in a celebrity cash-builder, ever," commented a flabergasted Bradley Walsh during James' Chase debut last year. And he was alone in his incredulous reaction.
"Eleven! That's two more than I got and they made me a Chaser," exclaimed Darragh 'The Menace' Ennis. Irish neuroscientist and entomologist Ennis famously appeared on the show as a contestant in 2017, when he earned £9,000 in the cash-builder before producers hired him to switch teams.
What's the best reality TV appearance by any former athlete? Let us know in the comments section below.
James' record haul of 21 correct cash-builder answers if three more than nearest rival Shaun Williamson, who played Barry on Eastenders and has also made two appearances on the show. However, the 53-cap former England stopper also holds an unwanted piece of Chase history.
That's after his 2023 performance ended with the biggest prize fund built in any celebrity edition of the show. He helped amass a jackpot of £213,000 with internet celeb Joe Sugg, journalist Lucrezia Millarini and singer Myles Stephenson before it went down as the biggest prize pot ever lost.
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It's far from the only time James has put his wits to the test on national television. As well as appearing on The Chase, the 53-year-old has also been seen on Celebrity Catchphrase, Countdown and Pointless Celebrities, where he landed a prize of £1,250 for a a homeless people's charity.
It's safe to say the former Strictly Come Dancing contestant would be a good one to have around on pub quiz night. Not that such a prize can compete with his League Cup (Liverpool, 1995) and FA Cup (Portsmouth, 2008) winner's medals.
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