The Chase star Paul Sinha has revealed that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Paul disclosed his diagnosis in a blog post he published on Friday, writing: “On the evening of Thursday May 30th, an experienced consultant neurologist calmly informed me that I had Parkinson’s disease.
“It was a devastating denouement to a medical odyssey that began in September 2017 with a sudden-onset, frozen right shoulder, and took in an unexpected diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a lifestyle transformation that enabled me to lose two stone, and a shoulder operation in January this year.”
The 49-year-old added that having now been diagnosed he felt “far more prepared for the new challenges ahead”, continuing: “I have an amazing family, no strangers to serious medical illness, I’m blessed to have a fiancé who is there for me, and I have a multitude of friends and colleagues whom I consider to be exceptional human beings.
“I don’t consider myself unlucky, and whatever the next stage of my life holds for me, many others have it far worse.”
“In the time since my Parkinson’s started I have been ludicrously busy, and fully intend to keep Chasing, keep writing and performing comedy, keep quizzing and keep being hopeless at Tasks,” he added, before adding: “Dancing on Ice is, I suspect, out of the question.”
He also noted: “A lot of people have asked ‘What can I do to help?’ The answer is to treat me exactly the same as before.”
Paul is best known as one of the quizzing experts – dubbed The Sinnerman by host Bradley Walsh – on the ITV game show The Chase, but he’s also a doctor and successful stand-up comedian.
He’s been with the show since 2011, having previously appeared as a contestant on shows like The Weakest Link and University Challenge.