The Chase Star Shaun Wallace Details Extreme Habits Before Major Weight Loss
Quiz show titan Shaun Wallace, famously known as 'The Dark Destroyer' on ITV's The Chase, has candidly revealed the extreme habits he maintained before embarking on a remarkable weight loss journey that saw him shed an impressive 3.5 stone. The 65-year-old barrister and television personality, who has been a fixture on the popular programme since its 2009 launch, described his former lifestyle choices as particularly severe.
From Eight Sugars to Complete Abstinence
In a revealing interview, Wallace confessed to maintaining what he termed 'extreme bad habits' prior to his transformation. 'I've always got bad habits, and extreme bad habits too,' he admitted. 'I used to have eight sugars in my coffee and in my tea. Then I stopped completely.'
The television personality didn't stop there with his revelations about previous unhealthy practices. 'And cigarettes too, I used to smoke 20 to 30 cigarettes a day. Then I just stopped,' Wallace continued, highlighting his pattern of going from obsession to complete abstinence. He attributed this all-or-nothing approach to his Gemini nature, describing it as 'the Gemini nature of my sort of existence.'
Recovery from Knee Surgery and New Show Format
The weight loss revelations come as Wallace recovers from recent knee replacement surgery that temporarily disrupted The Chase's filming schedule. The quiz genius clarified that he had been hospitalised for the operation and has been in recovery for the past three weeks, with production scrambling to make up for lost time.
'We're filming now but I've just had knee replacement surgery,' Wallace explained on the Royal Kennel Club podcast. 'I've been training every single day to make sure I can physically walk up and down the plank when I go back on March 17th.' He's scheduled to return to the studio on that date and will be filming 'every day' to compensate for the production delay.
Wallace also shared exciting news about an upcoming format expansion for the hit show. 'We start the exciting new concept of Chase Around The World throughout the whole of May,' he revealed enthusiastically. This new iteration will see teams racing against each other in pairs while unraveling cryptic puzzles to locate the Chasers in various international locations.
Host Bradley Walsh's Recent On-Screen Moment
The revelations about Wallace's personal journey follow a memorable recent episode where host Bradley Walsh couldn't contain his reaction to a contestant's unusual answer. When asked what Wild Thang was named the World's Ugliest in 2024, contestant Damien surprisingly selected 'baby' as his answer rather than the more logical options of dog or cat.
Damien justified his choice by saying, 'I don't remember, but I've seen lots of videos of ugly babies on social media,' prompting Walsh to respond with stunned disbelief. 'Wow. How to win friends and influence people, hey, Damian?' the host remarked before revealing the correct answer was indeed dog.
Walsh later commented, 'We would still be well in it by now if you hadn't put that ridiculous answer,' highlighting how the unusual response affected the game's outcome. The Chase continues to air on ITV1 and ITVX, maintaining its position as one of Britain's most beloved quiz programmes while its stars navigate personal transformations and production challenges.
