I won the Chase, and Ruth Langsford tweeted about me!

I was on The Chase last Thursday (7th January) in the first big win of the year This was filmed last June, so I could watch myself on TV and read the live Twitter feed for #thechase. I wasn't in the habit of reading this, but it being my only probable appearance on TV (except for a 10 second shot of me in Songs of Praise) I was indulging in a deep case of curiosity.
On the Chase I introduced myself as "Jo, a learning mentor, aged 47 from Liverpool!" (you have to sound excited on the introduction, the production team insist you are, and make you film again if you aren't) And Twitter started.


C W North West, England
Jo advising Andy goes high what's the betting she goes for a minus offer - she looks the type #thechase


R
Steph is leading me to believe she's gonna be a LOW f******d #thechase


R
Cancel that last tweet, I meant Jo! #thechase


S T
Jo is already talking about going low #TheChase


R
I'm predicting a thief up next! #thechase


JF
Jo looks a BIG lass... #thechase



P G
Got that horrible feeling Jo is going to be a c**k and go for the lower offer #thechase



G W
seat 4 is defiantly a low offer w****r #thechase



P B
Pamela Retweeted Roger "I'm predicting a thief up next! #thechase"
and added, "I'll second that #thechase"

And all of this before I'd answered a question. There's more (about me getting a Mini and a shoe horn, having a lot under my belt, following the advice of my cats, like I was a fat cat woman) and other comments about me and Steph, the other woman on the Chase. I was laughing my head off, because I knew that they would eat their words. I knew what I was going to do and what the result would be.

After my cashbuilder, I got given the offers; -£1,000, the £7,000 I had earned or £47,000. I knew what I wanted to do; and I knew I could do it, so I 'went large'. £47,000. Safely home, because I have a brain in my head and a good memory for Trivia. Give them their due, Twitter changed the tune after that.

P G
Wow didn't see that coming from her...go Jo #thechase

C
I though Jo was going to go low. Good luck girl! #TheChase


R
Well I'm fucked, I take it all back! #thechase


S
thechase that told you lot !!

The F
GET IN THERE JO #thechase


Ó hÉ
Go on lad #thechase

l v b
Go on lass #thechase




C R
#thechase lots of apologies coming up!!


E J
Well that's a surprise.......Jo.......£47,000 #thechase

D G
Hohohogogogojo #TheChase


R L
Yes Jo! Someone give this woman a beer and a pat on the head. All or nothing. Absolute pioneer for all women on TV. #TheChase



And, just like that, Twitter had switched. I wasn't fat, or thick or a LOW (low offer w****r) but a Gladiator taking on the Romans, or a David against a Goliath of the quiz world.



S

#thechase Go Jo!!! Good girl. Good luck


J D
#TheChase Jo brings home £47k well done left Paul well behind


J E
Go on then love! #TheChase

B

Good lass Jo! #TheChase


And the rest of the Twitter feed was really lovely to read, a blast for me. Including a lovely tweet from Ruth Langsford of Loose Women.

1. 325 likes

   
   
2. Ruth Langsford ‏@RuthieeL  Jan 7

   LOVE seeing people win on the @ITVChase Well done tonight's team.....especially Jo who was brilliant! £60,000 wowser! x
3. 
   

But I thought how sad it was, that it took until I actually showed that I had cahones, or brains or the bravery/stupidity to go for it, before the crowd were prepared to let me be a bright lass. It's like the default position of the majority is that a big girl is thick and a coward. And I hate that. I teach children not to judge people based on looks, but to give everyone a chance. When does that change? Why is society set up to judge women by their looks? Andy (the marvellous Andy McSorley, currently on tour in the Full Monty) didn't get judged on his bulk, it wasn't a big factor in the brains of Stuart, but with Steph and me we both got judged according to our appearance first and had to prove we had the skills. I'd like to stand up for middle aged over-weight women every where and to say; GIVE US A CHANCE. We have more skills, sense and ability than it might appear at first.


I know this is a non-story, because such casual sexism and sizeism is such an everyday event it isn't even remarked on by the victims; it just is what happens in the world. But I wanted to write this post and ask; why does it take proof to overcome the issue? And how many women are silenced because they daren't risk the negative comments? I loved winning the Chase. It gave me a boost of confidence at a time when I needed it. I know now I can set my goals and go for it. I want to go on more TV quiz shows, and to have a successful career in teaching and with my husband's firm. I know you probably live the story and understand completely, but I wanted to speak out to you and to challenge you; could you stand up for brainy women who are judged by their body size and not their IQ or actions?

What actions can we, as women and men who value women, take to make life fairer? Do you have any experiences of times when your looks (good or not) affected how someone perceived you? And how far would you go to stand up against unfair criticism? I wrote nothing on Twitter in reply, because I wanted to see how the reaction would change, but I wonder if it had stayed negative would I have been brave enough to speak out? I hope I would have been, but there is a part of me that whispers that I would have been quiet, because speaking out risks being attacked more. Facing the Chaser was a no-brainer; facing a critical  mass public is a lot harder choice to make.


***And an addition; thank you to everybody who commented on Twitter and this blog, or Facebook or rang me to congratulate the team on their success. We did work well together, and I think we needed to be a team of three at least to stand a chance of success. It was a life changing amount of money; Steph got engaged and got the house she wanted, Andy and his Missus had a lovely baby boy and (I hope) made it to their honeymoon. I haven't got the Mini yet, but we had a blast of  Christmas and we have a fantastic 2016 lined up, with a new office for Peter Kneale Solicitor and other good times ahead!****