Bradley Walsh forced to halt filming after studio 'thrown into darkness'

Bradley Walsh has opened up about a chaotic event on set when he suspected paranormal activity after the studio was '"thrown into darkness".

The Chase presenter, 64, is gearing up to lead the new run of the popular BBC game show Blankety Blank. Having taken on presenting duties since the show's revival in 2021 with a Christmas special, it secured its place for a full series.

As the broadcast date for the fresh series approaches on Saturday April 19, Bradley shared that production was once unexpectedly halted due to a sudden blackout during filming.

He explained: "You are not going to believe this. During one of the episodes, our studio lights just stopped working and it threw us all into darkness. I was convinced the studio was haunted at that point! So, we had to stop the record to fix them."

Left pondering how to keep a live audience engaged amid the unforeseen situation, the production team was rescued by pop duo Jedward, who livened up the scene.

Detailing the impromptu entertainment, Bradley said: "To keep the audience entertained, Jedward got up onto the stage and started singing, one of them managed to find a microphone from somewhere. Then the sound department started playing Jedward's songs and Jedward were up and dancing around the studio and into the audience."

He enthused: "The audience loved it, they were clapping and dancing along, it was both amazing and surreal. I truly couldn't believe my eyes, and neither could our celebrity panel."

The first episode of the fresh series will see a host of celebrities stepping in to assist the contestants. Set to lend their expertise to the hopeful participants are Coronation Street's Antony Cotton, comedians Nish Kumar and Rosie Jones, alongside Birds of a Feather star Lesley Joseph.

Completing the lineup are EastEnders' Shane Richie and Spice Girl Mel B. Bradley gave a sneak peek into what fans can anticipate, stating: "It is probably the most unpredictable series of Blankety Blank yet. We've got prizes that, I would say, are peak Blankety Blank.

"If you thought the prizes on the last series were good, wait until you see this series. We've got hilarious celebs and the contestants we have in this series are gold. I can't wait for you to see it."

A brand new series of Blankety Blank is set to airs on April 19 on BBC One