ITV quiz mastermind Paul Sinha has revealed precisely when he’ll be quitting TV in the future after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s five years ago.
Paul, 54, who has been a star of The Chase since 2011, was diagnosed with the degenerative brain condition in May 2019 after experiencing symptoms.
Parkinson’s is a condition that causes parts of the brain to become damaged over time, affecting a patient’s mobility and mental health, as well as other sensory issues.
The popular TV personality and comedian has documented his experiences with the disease and also publicly revealed that he suffered two heart attacks last year.
Now Paul has let viewers know that he’ll only leave The Chase when his health starts to affect his performance on the show, saying he’ll alert producers as soon as it’s necessary.
‘If it ever [started to affect my performance on The Chase], I’d point it out to the producers. I know that one day that point will come, and I don’t want to be a burden on the show.’
However, there are no current plans to step aside, with the general knowledge genius saying he’s still able to give his best while competing against Chase contestants.
‘As long as I’m as good as I’ve always been, I’m happy to be on the show. I’m not worried about it at the moment. I’m just enjoying life and enjoying work.’
Speaking to the Daily Star, he continued: ‘As far as I’m aware, it doesn’t bother me [at the moment]. I get quite a lot of messages on social media and emails from people in my position. And people come up to me in the street.’
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Appearing on Loose Women earlier this year, he told the panel that he was focusing as much as he could on living entirely in the present moment.
‘I refuse to live in the future. I only want to live in the present and enjoy the present. Because I don’t know what my future is. I don’t have the time scale and I don’t know when I’m going to start deteriorating.’
He continued: ‘But I have to deal with it, the best that I can. How can I not? The brain is my job – it worries me, I want my brain to be as good as it can be. What pleases me is that my brain seems to be operating at full [potential].’
Paul can no longer drive or dance due to his condition but says his ability to be a quizmaster hasn’t taken a hit yet, saying that The Chase helps him measure his brain’s capacity.
‘Whenever I buzz in and get anything right, it’s a point of massive pride to me,’ the comedian revealed.
‘I feel that I’ve shown in the past three or four years that you can do it whilst having Parkinson’s. There’s no limit to what you feel you’re able to do.’
The Chase airs weekdays at 5pm on ITV.
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