A contestant on The Chase has revealed how the wildly popular quiz show is run behind the scenes - after walking away with NZ$12,575 (£6500).

Earlier this week, Dorinda Balchin took part in the show and spoke to UK publication Swindon Advertiser about her win - divulging some secrets about producers sift through the contestants audition.

And if you think some players fare surprisingly well in the final chase - that's because every contestant has already done it in a practice round.

Balchin revealed the staggering amount of people who apply to be on the show every year, which requires an intense auditioning process she had to go through.

"They said they'd got over 60,000 applicants this year so it is a big pool to be in," she said.

"There are eight in my audition group and you get four sets of 20-question quizzes, a chat to the camera and a practice at doing the final Chase round."

Balchin successfully mastered the format and took home NZ$12,575.

The set where the quiz show is filmed may look impressive on TV, but behind the cameras it's not so glam, she said.

"It was incredibly small, that was my first impression," she said.

"Small and dark, obviously the bit where we sat was well lit but it was tiny compared to how it looks on the television."

On the show's host, Bradley Walsh, she said: "He is exactly like he is on TV, no difference. He is incredibly friendly and supportive. He came and had a chat with us before it started to help reassure us."

The Chase screens Monday-Saturday at 4.55pm on TVNZ1.