The Chase star Paul Sinha has revealed that he has Parkinson’s Disease.
In a blog post shared earlier today, the quiz show expert explained that he was diagnosed with the neurological condition last month after “worrying about why a right-sided limp was now getting worse.”
“On the evening of Thursday May 30th, an experienced consultant neurologist calmly informed me that I had Parkinson’s disease,” he wrote, describing the diagnosis as “a devastating denouement to a medical odyssey.”
The 49-year-old, who joined the ITV show in 2011, said that he has “a treatment plan in place” and now feels “far more prepared for the new challenges ahead.”
Sinha, who is also a successful stand-up comedian who regularly performs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, thanked his fiance Oliver, his “amazing family” and his “exceptional” friends and colleagues for their support.
He confirmed his hopes to continue appearing on The Chase and to keep performing, telling fans: “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.
“Dancing on Ice is, I suspect, out of the question.”
Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative neurological disorder which sees parts of the brain become progressively damaged.
It is caused by a loss of nerve cells in the substantia nigra in the brain which leads to a reduction of dopamine, a chemical which helps regulate movement.
A former GP, Sinha has appeared on BBC Radio 4 and on the Dave show Taskmasters.
