MILLIONS of people tuned in to watch an Inverclyde nurse scoop over £5,000 on a popular TV quiz show.

Mum-of-two Maureen Todd from Kilmacolm kept calm under pressure when she appeared on ITV’s The Chase.

The 46-year-old, who works as an NHS research nurse in rheumatology, said was stunned to take home £5,500 – a share of an £11,000 jackpot won by Maureen and team-mate Andy.

She told the Tele: “I was so excited to be on the show – it was an amazing experience.

“Everyone who watched the show asked me how I was so calm but I was really nervous inside.”

Hosted by Bradley Walsh, contestants in the programme are under pressure to answer questions as they are ‘chased’ by a quiz expert.

Maureen added: “Jenny Ryan, who was the chaser, was quite intimidating.
“I had absolutely no expectations of winning because all the chasers are so good.

“But I think I was really lucky with the questions.

“I have to thank my daughter, as for my last question I was asked which pop star had removed her entire catalogue of music from streaming service Spotify in 2014.

“Usually, I’m stuffed on anything to do with music past 1989, but I knew it was Taylor Swift only because my daughter listens to current music.

“She was proud of me for getting that one right.”

Maureen, who lives with her children Samantha, 11, and Christopher, nine, and husband Drew, 47, in Belmont Road, said she applied for the show as she’s always loved taking part in quizzes.

She said: “I used to be in a pub quiz team and I’m such a big fan of the show so I thought I’d apply.

“I went for an audition about three years ago and as I hadn’t heard anything I assumed I hadn’t got on.

“But out of the blue I received a phone call and went down to London to film the episode.”

Maureen, who also performs with the The Lyric Club, an amateur theatre group in Glasgow, said that the filming was intense but all the crew put her at ease.

She said: “Bradley Walsh is absolutely lovely.

“The whole film team were fabulous and we were looked after so well, which put us at ease."

Since the programme aired Maureen has become a bit of a local celebrity.

She said: “On the day the programme came out there was a lot of discussion on Facebook and when I went back to work all my colleagues were telling me ‘you kept that one quiet!’.”

Maureen has put her £5,500 winnings to good use, giving her home a mini makeover.

She added: “We’ve done a few home improvements, including doing up the bathroom, and we bought a new TV.

“We also go camping to the South of France every year so we’ll put some of the money towards that.”