The Chase's Mark Labbett stuns viewers after admitting he'd take the minus offer

The Chase viewers were left stunned during last night's episode, where Mark 'The Beast' Labbett made a shocking admission about taking the minus offer.

Four new contestants were welcomed the show, with only two players making it through to the final.

Contestant Lynn made it through with a whopping £35,000, but with two of the players being knocked out, she urged her final teammate Ian to take a low offer of -£5000.

Viewers were divided after Mark Labbett admitted he would take a minus offer (ITV)

She said: "Don't do the £65,000. £6,000, absolutely amazing, but the -£5,000, come back here. Definitely come back here, I can't do it on my own."

The Beast then hit back at viewers who shame players for taking a negative offer, saying: "This girl understands this game. £15,000 versus £20,500. If you put that on the board, you wouldn't think twice."

After Ian chose the minus, Mark added: "You do get a group of people at watching home who say 'I'd never take the low offer, I'd never take a minus offer.'

"Give me a bible and I'll happily swear on it, I would take the minus offer in the right circumstances."

Host Bradley Walsh agreed with the Chaser, saying: "Absolutely you would, of course, it just makes total sense to get you there."

Ian took the offer of -£5,000 to get through to the final (ITV)

Ian and Lynn then walked away with £15,000 after defeating The Beast, and viewers were left divided on Mark's admission.

One said: "That could have been £100,000! Silly choice to go for the minus."

Another wrote: "@MarkLabbett you would take the lower offer!!!! Your dead to me now."

A third said: "Did you hear that?? The Beast was talking about you lot! But also called himself a low offer ******."

"What!! Even the Beast admits he would be a low offer ****** lol!!" said another shocked viewer.

"I'm shell-shocked!" said another fan.

But many viewers praised Ian for going low, with one saying: "Minus makes sense!"

Another wrote: "Yes - it pays to listen to wisdom and experience. If @MarkLabbett admits he himself would take the option, then there is rationality behind his reasoning. It's not all about kamikaze money acquisition. It's about winning what's a REALISTIC amount, not IDEALISTIC."

"Makes perfect sense to take the minus offer (in this situation) but the twitter brigade don't understand logic and immediately are calling him a thief lol" tweeted a third.

"Very rare case of a minus offer making sense" admitted another fan.

"That's the sensible thing to do, had to be done..." said another.