Published by Keith Morris at May 2, 2020
Fr George Donaghy with Beat the Chasers host Bradley Walsh. Picture copyright ITV/Matt Frost/Shutterstock.
A Suffolk Augustine friar was among the first to take on the feared Chasers in new ITV quiz show Beat the Chasers last week.
Fr George Donaghy (OSA), who is based at Clare Priory in Suffolk, took to the stage in the first-ever edition of the new show, broadcast on April 27, but which was filmed at the famous Elstree Studios in north London, back in January. The show pits contestants against up to five of the infamous quizzers.
Fr George, appearing in his collar and habit, was among 10,000 applicants for the show in which he could potentially win many thousands of pounds.
When Fr George, currently part of the Diocese of East Anglia but originally from Birmingham, joined host Bradley Walsh on stage he joked about being a window cleaner and said he might spend any winnings on a Mississippi river boat cruise.
He then correctly answering multiple choice questions about Marmite and Hiccup the Hamster to win himself £2,000 with which to take on the Chasers before getting wrong a question about St Isidore of Seville – patron saint of the Internet.
He then chose to take on Chasers Mark ‘The Beast’ Labbett and Anne ‘The Governess’ Hegerty. With a 25-second head start, Fr George just failed to beat the quiz experts to win his £2,000.
Afterward, Fr George said: “I did not go on expecting to win big money, I just wanted to see how I fared against the Chasers. I left school with poor qualifications in my first year of training for priesthood and religious life in 1998 I was found to be both dyslexic and dyspraxic. However, I was supported in learning how to deal with this by attending the dyslexia centre in Kensington. I ended up enjoying my studies and got a 2:1 from Lampeter via the Beda in Theology.
“Going on the show was about giving witness that priests and religious like quiz shows too and holding my own with the Chasers – and I felt I did that. The whole production team were very supportive of me being on the show. I felt Bradley Walsh was very good at putting me at ease laughing with me rather than at me. I am a massive movie buff and was more frustrated with getting the Margot Robbie question wrong than the Isidore of Seville.
“It’s always important for me to present my life as an Augustinian friar and priest as this is me, I am no different from anyone else – the only difference is the life choice. I believe I have been called to it in the same way others are called to marriage, nursing etc. I felt I was allowed to do this on the show and the response has been exceptionally positive. I felt it was a good witness.”
Fr George has previously served within the archdioceses of Birmingham, Edinburgh and St Andrews and Westminster.
Fr G OSA's recently published book
Fr George has also recently published a book called, How in Heaven…? an autobiographical collection of 29 original poems that tells the story of his life thus far.
“Over the years people have been intrigued by story and asked me to get something in print and I found poetry the best medium for me,” he said.
It is available on Amazon Kindle for £4.85 and paperback from Augustinian press by email clarepriory@clarepriory.net paperbacks are £5.
Click here to watch the programme featuring Fr George.
Listen to Fr George talk about his TV quiz show experience on BBC Radio Suffolk here.
Fr G OSA Writes:
Often when visiting my Dad in Birmingham we would watch quiz shows and I would find myself answering the questions, Dad would say why don't you apply. Slowly that seed grew within me and I wanted to appear on a TV quiz show which became a part of my bucket list.
At the beginning of 2019 my mum passed after a long battle with vascular dementia. Come the end of 2019 I hoped 2020 would be more positive so I decided to tick off a couple of things off on the bucket list. Two in particular was to appear on a tv quiz show (tick) and publish a book. I composed an autobiographical book of 29 poems that tell the story of my life so far. For some time people have been asking me to tell my story and I found poetry to be a format in which I could do that. The plan was to have the book published at the same time as appearing on the show (I had been working on it since I turned 50 in 2016) We just managed to do it (so that's another tick.)
Obviously 2020 has turned out to have challenges for us all but I have found the book and the show gave me a purpose and motivation to help with the challenges we are currently facing. I believe in giving witness both as a priest and an Augustinian Friar. That witness involves me saying such things as yes Friars like quiz shows and like to smile. I believe I was encouraged to do this by my brother Augustinians and by the production team on the show. Bradley Walsh was very good at putting me at ease. All in all both experiences have been extremely positive.
The book is called, "How in heaven...? It is available as a paper back for £5 from Augustinian press, the email is clarepriory@clarepriory.net or can be downloaded for £4.85 from Amazon Kindle.