A FORMER interim principal of Hailsham Community College has died just weeks after winning a life-changing £50,000 on ITV’s hit quiz show The Chase.
Tim McCarthy, 64, from Greater Manchester, appeared on the episode broadcast on Wednesday, 27 August, where he stunned viewers by going high in the final round and securing a share of a £100,000 jackpot.
Despite only earning £1,000 in the cash builder, Mr McCarthy opted to play for £95,000 in the head-to-head against the Chaser. His winnings were split with a fellow contestant who had already banked £5,000, leaving him with £50,000.
Tragically, Mr McCarthy died just weeks after filming, before he was able to enjoy his prize.
His family and friends only discovered the scale of his success when the episode finally aired, as strict rules meant he could not reveal the outcome in advance.
Mr McCarthy had told host Bradley Walsh that he did not care much about money, joking that as long as he had £50 for ‘a slap-up meal’, he would be happy. If he won, he said, he would put it towards a new conservatory roof.
Friends and relatives gathered in a local pub to watch the broadcast together, recalling how Mr McCarthy had to keep his result a surprise.
Away from the screen, Mr McCarthy had a long career in education. In 2023, he was appointed interim executive principal at Hailsham Community College after the school was rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted.
News of his passing has shocked both his family in Manchester and those who worked with him in Sussex.
Mr McCarthy leaves behind his wife Rachel and family.
