I was Catchphrase’s first ever £50k jackpot winner – Stephen Mulhern showed his true colours before the cameras even started rolling

A winner who took home a huge £50,000 prize after taking part in Catchphrase has opened up on their behind-the-scenes experience on the show.

The ITV series, which is hosted by Stephen Mulhern, tasks contestants with guessing well-known phrases from animated picture clues that sometimes feature the show’s mascot, Mr Chips, to build a cash prize.

Back in 2016, Adei Bundy became the first star to take home the mammoth jackpot, after making her way through all the rounds including the final Super Catchphrase.

The contestant, who is a self-professed ‘superfan’ of the format – which was first launched in 1986 – had to go through a tense audition process in Manchester before heading to film the episode in Kent.

She was picked from ‘26,000 people who apply every year’, which is whittled down to ‘around 24 contestants’ – before going on to win the show, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this month.

Reflecting on her time on the series while speaking to Smooth Spins Casino, she lifted the lid on what host Stephen, 48, is really like off camera.

Back in 2016, Adei Bundy became the first star to take home the mammoth jackpot, after making her way through all the rounds including the final Super Catchphrase

The contestant, who is a self-professed ‘superfan’ of the format – which was first launched in 1986 – had to go through a tense audition process in Manchester before heading to film the episode in Kent

Adie said of her time with the host behind-the-scenes: ‘He was lovely. Before filming started, he came over, wished us luck and told us to enjoy it.’

It worked out for Adei, who admitted she made a few accidentally cheeky jibes towards Stephen during her time filming for the episode.

She went on: ‘I guessed “a rocket in his pocket,” which made Stephen laugh.

‘Then I told him I was ambidextrous, and when he asked what that meant, I said I was “good with both hands.” I kept unintentionally making these little innuendos, but I was being completely innocent.’

Opening up on why she applied, she continued: ‘I was such a huge fan of the show. I had the game on my PC, the app on my phone, and I watched it every time it was on.

‘I knew I had a bit of a knack for guessing the catchphrases, so I thought, why not?

‘It felt surreal because I had watched it so many times on TV. The screen looked huge, and there were cameras everywhere.

‘The biggest surprise was the audience. I do not think I realised there was one until I walked out and saw 200 people staring back at me.

Adei took home the Super Catchphrase top prize of £50,000

The ITV gameshow is hosted by Stephen Mulhern

‘But I was so focused on the game that I barely registered the cameras or the audience. It was not too different from playing at home in that respect. Everything else becomes a bit of a blur.’

Giving potential contestants some top tips on winning, Adei added: ‘Before going on, I treated it like my one chance to win, so I prepared as much as I could.

‘I completed the entire Catchphrase app and went through every puzzle. I also watched every episode I could find, including the old Roy Walker ones.

‘I noticed that a few catchphrases do get repeated. It does not happen often, but it is worth bearing in mind if you are thinking of applying.

‘I hit the buzzer the second I had even the slightest idea. If someone else guessed and it suddenly clicked for me, I would start pressing before the clip even restarted because you just want your buzzer to register first.’

Reflecting on her big win, she concluded: ‘When I got to the final Catchphrase and won the whole thing, including the holiday, it did not feel real. It felt like swallowing a firework on live TV. I was shaking.’

It comes after two contestants on ITV ‘s gameshow Catchphrase left host Stephen falling to his knees in desperation after they repeatedly failed to correctly guess two tricky riddles.

Stephen was joined by a new handful of hopefuls in the throwback episode which originally aired on the show’s second series.

Two contestants on ITV ‘s gameshow Catchphrase left host Stephen Mulhern falling to his knees in desperation after being unable to correctly guess two tricky riddles

Contestants Tom and Paul who made it to the semi-final round, playing for increasing amounts of money to add to their prize pots

And after whittling it down through the rounds, it was contestants Tom and Paul who made it to the semi-final round, playing for increasing amounts of money to add to their prize pots.

While Paul had managed to amass an impressive £3,200, Tom was trailing behind with just £900 after failing to correctly guess a number of catchphrases.

It meant that if Tom wanted to secure his spot in the final round, he’d have to answer as many of the catchphrases correctly as possible.

But things went from bad to worse for the contestants, they failed to guess a number of simple riddles that left Tom with his head in his hands, and Stephen pretending to faint.

Introducing the round, Stephen said: ‘Paul and Tom are just one step away from playing to win £50,000, but who will make it through?’

Asking the pair what they wanted to do with the winnings, Paul admitted that he was keen to take his family to Jamaica, as his parents had been born there.

While Tom admitted he planned to use the winnings to move out of his mum’s house, and then sneak in a luxury trip for himself with the leftover cash.

The first visual saw show mascot Mr Chips playing along with fellow ITV gameshow The Chase, after a man cutting a ribbon appeared on screen opening the door to the gameshow studio.

Stephen pretended to faint and fell to his knees after the round on the ITV gameshow

The clue saw a girl looking into an aquarium packed full of sting rays, but one of them kept flashing a bright light towards her eyes, seeing her look away

‘Opening the chase,’ Tom incorrectly guessed, before buzzing in again to add: ‘Cutting the chase’, leaving host Stephen and the studio audience laughing.

Buzzing in a third time, Tom said: ‘Cut the chase’, as the studio once again erupted in laughter before Paul correctly guessed: ‘Cut to the chase’.

Stephen was seen getting increasingly agitated as both contestants went on to attempt to guess another simple riddle.

The clue saw a girl looking into an aquarium packed full of sting rays, but one of them kept flashing a bright light towards her eyes, seeing her look away.

‘Bright ray’, Paul was quick to guess, with Stephen encouraging him that the answer was close, but not quite close enough, and to keep making guesses.

Tom then added: ‘Sting ray’, with Paul again incorrectly guessing: ‘Shiny ray’.

Pressing the button again, Paul attempted: ‘Rays of the sun’, to which Tom then added: ‘Fish rays’, which saw Stephen shake his head.

Turning to the audience, the host jumped up and down out of frustration, as Tom once again buzzed in and guessed: ‘Fish ray’.

‘How much more have we got left of this?’ Stephen shouted, before restarting the visual, this time with Paul guessing: ‘Flash ray’ and Tom adding: ‘Shark rays’.

‘Please,’ Stephen begged to the audience, as Paul made another guess, this time asking if the answer was ‘blinded by the rays’.

‘I feel exhausted, please, what’s different about that ray?’ Stephen tried to hint, as Paul then repeated: ‘Did I say bright ray already?’

After being told by Stephen that wasn’t the answer Paul buzzed in again immediately to guess ‘bright ray’, even though that was his previous guess.

‘That was the guess you just made that you weren’t sure you had made,’ Stephen said, growing more agitated, adding: ‘You’ve definitely said it twice, Paul.’

It was then Paul finally guessed the correct answer, ‘ray of light’, with Stephen mockingly falling to the floor as if he had fainted.

At the end of the round, Paul had managed to build up £4,700, with Tom trailing behind with just £1,400 seeing him out of the game.

The episode ended with Paul taking on the Super Catchphrase and winning a £10,000 cash prize to take his family on holiday to Jamaica.

Catchphrase is available to stream on ITVX.