The Chase's Jenny Ryan among fans supporting the Wanderers

The TV quiz queen, known to millions as The Vixen on ITV’s The Chase, is a die-hard season ticket holder with the Whites and will be joining her family at the play-off final against Oxford United.

Hoping for a repeat of the last time she watched her club at the home of English football – a 4-0 win against Plymouth Argyle in last season’s Papa Johns Trophy, Jenny is upbeat about Wanderers’ chances as they look to seal promotion to the Championship.

“It is a dangerous feeling, I worry about having too much confidence,” she told The Bolton News.

“We have had a mixed bag at Wembley, haven’t we? When we were at the Papa Johns last year it was like seeing a completely new side to the team, they lapped it up, they were confident, adventurous, scored goals. And it was my birthday too, so it was a double celebration.

“But the last time we were there, against Stoke… Well, it’s the time we don’t speak of. I’d say that is probably one of the worst days of my life.

“Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, I suppose. And if nothing else, being a Bolton fan teaches you true resilience.

“I always worry about being too smug about things. It’s a completely different ball game this final now because it doesn’t matter what went before. We have to treat it like a cup final, it is a match that means everything to both clubs.

“You don’t know what type of game Oxford are going to bring – they have already seen off Peterborough, who have been smashing all season. So, bring it on.

“I think sometimes we need to be the underdog in Bolton, we’re more confident then.”

Just five years ago, Wanderers were in administration. The situation had become so bleak under previous ownership that a foodbank was opened at the stadium to ensure that staff – unpaid for a fortnight – had enough basic provisions for their families.

On Saturday, the club can gain promotion to the second tier of English football for the first time since 2019.

Jenny, who narrated a poignant video in 2020 to help encourage local support during the uncertain financial future of the pandemic, is pleased to see her club heading back in the right direction under the Football Ventures consortium, headed by Sharon Brittan.

“I’m so proud of the club and the town for rallying round, it was so touch and go at one stage,” she said.

“It is really hard to countenance that, I can’t really imagine what I would do if I couldn’t watch Bolton Wanderers.

“The way we rallied, the ownership has been brilliant, everyone loves Sharon. It is not a faceless corporation in charge, you get the feeling you could go in and have a chat.

“That sense of genuine community has made a huge difference and I am hoping we use this to go from strength to strength. Even if we don’t go up, the transformation over the last few years has been incredible. We have consolidated, we have been ambitious without being over-ambitious, and it is onwards and upwards.

“We can’t all have Hollywood investment. We have great owners and I actually bought some of the bonds last summer when the scheme came up last year because I felt so strongly about it – so I get a nice bonus if they get promotion as well!”

Jenny will be back in Bolton at the Octagon on October 2, performing her new show Out of the Box, an evening of song, storytelling and showbiz secrets.