Paul Sinha has "lost" his sense of "fear" since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
The ‘Chase’ star – who stars in the ITV game show as one of five champion quizzers who take on members of the public in a general knowledge battle – revealed in June last year he has been diagnosed with the condition, which affects the nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine, and can cause tremors and muscle rigidity.
And now, Paul – who used to be a doctor, and is also a stand-up comedian – has said his diagnosis means he’s no longer scared of "saying the wrong thing" or "offending the wrong person", which has allowed him to go all out with his comedy routines.
Speaking about his comedy – which draws on his experiences with Parkinson’s – he said: "There’s a fire and ferocity about the material, because I’m going for laughs in some pretty bleak places.
"The thing that has changed most since the diagnosis, is that I’ve lost my fear. I’ve always been one of those comics who doesn’t say much on panel shows because I’m terrified of saying the wrong thing or offending the wrong person. But now, I’ve lost all that. I’ve got the exaggerated carpe diem that a lot of people get with their diagnosis."
The 49-year-old quiz brain has also stopped feeling anxious about people who dismiss his comedy career because of his ‘Chase’ role.
He added: "When you’re on telly, you’re defined by what you do on telly. People look at you and go: ‘He’s that guy that answers questions on a quiz.’ It’s been a battle to make my compromises with that and still be the comedian I want to be.
"I’ve lost my anxiety about that. If you’ve bought a ticket to see me perform, you’re heroes in my book. You’re better than the people who didn’t buy tickets."
Paul – who recently married his partner Olly – says he no longer talks about politics in his stand-up routine either, because he doesn’t want to "make enemies".
Speaking to The Guardian newspaper, he said: "I’ve lost the will to talk about [politics]. Because it seems when you open your mouth to air a sincerely held opinion these days, you’re making enemies. Some comedians are financially successful enough to not be too bothered about that. I’m not one of them.
"When I started off as the first openly gay Asian comedian, there were certainties and a clear imagined enemy to rail against. I now realise that the old assumptions, that comedy involved standing on stage and talking to people who shared your metropolitan values, aren’t necessarily true."
Paul Sinha has no fear since Parkinson’s diagnosis
