Featured Image Credit: ITV/Brad Wale
Topics: Health, ITV, Money, TV and Film
Jess Battison
ITV viewers were recently moved to tears when a TV contestant admitted he’ll die soon.
And they were moved so much that nearly £30,000 has now been raised for Brad Wale.
The lad was taking part in Thursday’s episode (30 November) of Deal or No Deal when he became a little emotional.
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Host Stephen Mulhern asked Brad what he’d spend his potential winnings on, leading him to open up about his health condition.
Brad explained: “Last year, things changed quite a lot for me really, I was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease…”
And in a brave discussion on telly, he continued with his voice cracking: “I never cry when I talk about it normally… So the prognosis isn’t really that great.
“So I’d put it towards my bucket list, go and see different places around the world, and give my family and partner some money before… yeah.”
And after Mulhern clarified about the mentioned ‘bucket list’, Brad explained that while ‘Stephen Hawking lived for 55-years’ the average is just ‘a few years’.
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His fellow contestants were moved by his admission while viewers got teary at home.
Brad has already raised thousands for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, having done a sponsored skydive last year.
“My one wish is for them to find a cure or a decent treatment to ease symptoms and prolong life,” he said of the fundraiser.
And despite him only bagging a fiver on the ITV show, viewers have now chipped in to raise a whole lot more.
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Since Brad appeared on the show, his mate and Deal or No Deal co-star Rochelle Hughes set up a fundraiser to help him tick off his bucket list.
She wrote on the GoFundMe page: “I’m sure you all saw Brad's devastating game on Deal or No Deal.
“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.”
And it seems more than just few people have spared a couple of quid, as the fundraiser currently sits at just under £30,000.
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Over 2,000 people have donated so far after just two days.
One wrote: “Brad, you touched the hearts of a nation this week with your story and your searing honesty... what an inspiration you are... please go on now and get some of those dreams on your list ticked off!”
While another added: "I watched your show which had me in tears. Hope this fund will help you achieve some of your dreams. Best wishes to you and your family."
Plenty called him ‘inspiring’ as they said he ‘deserved to win big’ on the show.
You can chip into the fundraiser here.