Paul Sinha opens up about when he plans to quit ‘The Chase’

“At the moment my Parkinson’s doesn’t affect how I am on the show – it doesn’t affect how I can answer questions,” Paul Sinha said.

• EasternEye
• 30 September, 2024

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By: EasternEye

PAUL Sinha, known as ‘The Sinnerman’ on ITV’s quiz show ‘The Chase’, has opened up about when he plans to leave the show. The 54-year-old was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019 and has been vocal about managing the condition.

Speaking to the Daily Star on Saturday, Sinha said he would consider leaving the show if the disease began to affect his performance. “At the moment my Parkinson’s doesn’t affect how I am on the show – it doesn’t affect how I can answer questions,” he said. “If it ever did, 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.”

Sinha first revealed his Parkinson’s diagnosis in May 2019. In a Twitter post, he vowed to “fight with every breath” and later elaborated on his experience in a blog post, admitting he was initially in shock but now feels prepared for the challenges ahead with a treatment plan in place. Sinha also humorously remarked that a Dancing on Ice appearance is no longer an option.

Sinha has been part of The Chase since 2011 as the fourth chaser, also known as “The Smiling Assassin.” He acknowledged that the weeks following his diagnosis were tough, but he now feels more prepared.

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive condition that affects parts of the brain, with key symptoms including involuntary shaking, slow movement, and muscle stiffness. These symptoms tend to worsen over time.

In 2020, seven months after his diagnosis, Sinha married his long-time partner, Oliver Levy.

In June, Sinha shared that his mother found out about his sexuality after a friend outed him at a house party, reported The Daily Mail. He explained on Loose Women that someone at the party made a drunken call to his mother, informing her of his sexuality. Although he had intended to come out to her in his own way, the situation was taken out of his control.

Sinha, who doesn’t know who made the call, joked: “We’re going to have a poll – I’ll give you a list of all the friends it could have been.”