The Chase host Bradley Walsh has thrown his hat in the ring as he put himself forward for a role in Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall’s adaptation of his own novel, Death at the White Hart. Published in March last year, the murder mystery follows DCI Nicola Bridge as she returns to Dorset after years away and finds herself investigating the death of a local publican.
As ITV commissioned a series adaptation before the novel even hit the shelves in 2025, Chibnall’s longtime pal Walsh has joked he’d like to formally be considered for a role.
At a book event at Waterstones Piccadilly in London on Monday night, Bradley publicly asked Chibnall for a role – and the presenter already has two favourites in mind.
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“Is there any chance of Bradley Walsh as Mel? I thought he was a great character. I know guys like him,” Walsh said.
“Or I was thinking young Harry could be turned into a 66-year-old quiz show host of some description who becomes a cop in his spare time.”
As the series is in its early stages, Chibnall promised to consider his friend’s offer.
“I’ll have a good think about it,” he said.
ITV
Should the duo get to work together on Death at the White Hart, this would mark Walsh’s return to acting after another ITV series, The Larkins, in which he appeared in the role of Pop Larkin opposite Joanna Scanlan. The series ran for two series for a total of 13 episodes and concluded in 2022.
Prior to The Larkins, Walsh starred on Chibnall’s Doctor Who as companion Graham O’Brien, a role he reprised for the BBC’s centenary special ‘The Power of the Doctor’, aired in 2022.
The host was also part of the cast of Law & Order: UK as DS Ronnie Brooks, for which he also served as executive producer alongside Chibnall. Between 2004 and 2006, Walsh starred on ITV soap Coronation Street as Danny Baldwin for a total of nearly 400 episodes.
A former professional footballer, Walsh is now the presenter of The Chase, Beat the Chasers, Blankety Blank and Gladiators.
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Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).