Shaun Wallace, the ITV quizzer known as The Dark Destroyer, has addressed the backlash he received after a notable blunder on The Chase, admitting the abuse was so intense it would make anyone want to quit the programme.
Shaun Wallace's Achilles' Heel: The Simpsons
Wallace, who has been a part of The Chase since its inception in 2009, recalled a grave error involving The Simpsons. He admitted, “Every Achilles has a heel. I’ve never watched The Simpsons, remember that time they asked me the colour of Marge Simpson’s hair? I said orange.”
He continued: “The abuse I got on Twitter would make you want to quit the show.” Wallace confessed that knowing animations and soaps were his shortfall, he had no choice but to guess when asked another question about The Simpsons. He was asked who the eldest Simpsons child is for £50,000, and after only seconds to work it out, wrongly suggested Lisa.
Reflecting on the incident, Wallace said: “Questions are only easy if you know the answer, so one thing about us as quizzers is we’re brilliant quizzers, but we’re human, we make mistakes.”
Transferable Skills from the Courtroom to the Quiz Show
Wallace, who won Mastermind in 2004 before joining The Chase, emphasised his preparation: “I use my transferable skills as a barrister, I think on my feet, I’m fearless. I’ve appeared in the Court of Appeal, I’ve done Old Bailey trials, so to answer the question in the final Chase or Mastermind grand finals is not going to phase me, but the one thing which has stood me well is my steadfast dedication to preparation because the more you prepare, the more chances you can be successful. And it’s not a chore... when we’re researching, it might seem like we’re going back to school. No, we’re doing it because we love it.”
New Spin-Off: The Chase Around the World
Wallace has returned to screens with co-stars including Anne Hegerty and presenter Bradley Walsh for the spin-off The Chase Around the World. The series features six teams competing across European landmarks as they chase a £100,000 jackpot. Wallace characterised the spin-off as “reality television meeting with a quiz”, acknowledging that participants are pushed out of their comfort zone.
Ahead of the first episode, host Bradley Walsh teased: “In one city, the couple that came in last were devastated, and I mean devastated. One of them couldn’t even bring themselves to look at me. They were so upset. But then they get the chance to play against The Chasers, and they went and beat them! So they stayed in the contest and were able to play in the next round at the next city - it was brilliant to see! I mean, it was really great. All of a sudden, you’re saying, ‘All right, well, forget that now. You’re now moving on to the next city. You’re still in the race.’ It was great to watch because their despair turned into such joy. It’s a great dynamic, and it’s a very simple but effective end to this type of show.”
The Chase Around the World airs Thursdays at 9pm on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player.
