Featured Image Credit: ITV / Facebook/Brad Wale
Topics: Health, TV And Film, ITV
Rhianna Benson
Telly lovers were delighted when ITV announced earlier this year that they'd be rebooting the iconic Channel 4 game-show, Deal or No Deal.
The nerve-wracking tea-time series - previously fronted by presenter Noel Edmonds - would be revamped with a brand new host for its new broadcaster, Stephen Mulhern.
And after weeks of anticipation, the hit series - which sees contestants opening box after box in a bid to keep the huge cash prize of £250,000 - returned to our screens last week.
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Within just days of Deal or No Deal's come-back, however, viewers were left heartbroken when it was revealed that one of the 2023 contestants was suffering with a terminal illness.
The player in question, Wolverhampton lad Brad Wale, was shown on the show to be breaking down in tears after explaining to host Stephen that he had been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
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Brad also revealed that his life expectancy wasn't to be long, being that MND affects motor nerves that eventually degenerate, weakening patients and eventually leading paralysis and death.
He'd wanted to appear on the ITV show in the hope of winning some cash which would allow him to start ticking exciting items off his bucket list, as well as leaving some money for his family.
Brad started his stint on the show with a lucky streak, ruling out numerous boxes which contained 'blue' (low) cash values.
But the odds weren't in his favour, and after turning down the banker's offer of £12,500, viewers' hearts were shattered after discovering that Brad had the £5 in his box the whole time.
"This is my life," he told a visibly-devastated Stephen. "I've always had such bad luck. Nothing changes, I should have expected this."
Since the episode featuring Brad aired on screen last week, however, a colossal £79,164 (at the time of writing) has been raised to help his family for after he's gone.
In fact, it was one of his ITV co-contestants, Rochelle Brown, who set up a fundraiser to help the star achieve his dream.
"I’m sure you all saw Brads devastating game on Deal or No Deal," Rochelle wrote on the fundraiser.
"His DOND family really want him to fulfil his dreams and we have set this up on the hope that anyone could maybe spare a couple of pounds and get Brad to tick some bits off his Bucket List."
"I genuinely can't believe it, I'm lost for words, it's so overwhelming," Brad told Radio WM listeners this week.
"I left with £5 and that was it, I was content with that I accepted it so I was never expecting something like this. I feel honoured, blessed and guilty at the same time."
Rochelle - who set up the fundraiser on GoFundMe - added: "After the show I gave it 15 minutes, I wanted to keep the momentum up, it's an hour show for everyone at home but this is Brad's life.
"This doesn't just end once the camera has stopped filming. He really deserves to have his bucket list and his dreams come true."
If you'd like to donate to Brad's fundraiser, you can do so here.