Shaun Wallace has told how his father’s tragic death is the reason behind his motivation to stay physically and mentally fit.
The Chase star’s father Linford died from motor neurone disease in 2014, with the quiz expert, 60, left distraught at seeing his dad physically deteriorate.
And in scenes from spin-off show, The Chaser’s Road Trip: Trains, Brains and Automobiles, Shaun revealed he does 2,000 sit-ups a day as he heartbreakingly admits he ‘can’t delay the inevitable.’
Heartbreaking: Shaun Wallace has told how his father’s tragic death is the reason behind his motivation to stay physically and mentally fit
Viewers of The Chase will see a completely different side to the Chasers as Shaun, Anne Hegerty and Mark Labbett travel across the world to embark on an intellectual journey, where they question if humans are as intelligent as then believe themselves to be.
But despite being away on holiday, Shaun never fails to complete his rigorous daily morning routine of exercise, which includes the mammoth number of sit-ups.
Explaining his reasoning behind the brutal workout, Shaun noted how seeing his mum, who suffers from dementia, and his dad (who died seven years ago) decline physically spurs him on to keep himself in as best shape as possible.
‘Every morning when I wake up I do 2,000 sit ups because my mum suffers from dementia’, Shaun explained.
Motivation: In scenes from spin-off show, The Chaser’s Road Trip: Trains, Brains and Automobiles, Shaun revealed he does 2,000 sit-ups a day as he heartbreakingly admits he ‘can’t delay the inevitable’
‘My dad sadly died from motor neurone disease and it really saddened me to see them physically degenerate.’
The show sees the star reciting the names of the Kings and Queens of England while pushing himself during his rigorous routine, while he also partakes in a spot of yoga on the beach.
He added of his own health: ‘Whilst I know I can’t delay the inevitable I know I can postpone it by keeping myself physically and mentally sharp.’
Shaun, aka The Dark Destroyer, has previously discussed his parent’s sacrifice and eventual pride after he became a lawyer.
So sad: The Chase star’s father Linford died from motor neurone disease in 2014, with the quiz expert, 60, left distraught at seeing his dad physically deteriorate
He told The Express in 2018: ‘My parents were there for me when I wanted to be a lawyer and made a lot of sacrifices for that dream. I was so proud to see my father’s face when I was called to the Bar.
‘When I won Mastermind, he was beside himself. He watched it in Willseden at the Learie Constantine Centre, which hosts West Indian events. They gave him a standing ovation when I became the first black person to win it.’
After learning his father was dying while recording an episode of The Chase, Shaun rushed to the hospice, where he managed to see his father for the last 10 minutes of his life.
He added: ‘I said my piece, I kissed him and I said my goodbyes. So on Father’s Day I lay flowers, say a few words and remember the things he has done for me.’
Candid: Shaun noted how seeing his mum, who suffers from dementia, and his dad (who died seven years ago) decline physically spurs him on to keep himself in as best shape as possible
Meanwhile, the first episode of The Chaser’s Road Trip will see the trio journey to America to test themselves against Kanzi, a Bonobo ape who is able to communicate with humans.
Kanzi uses a series of pictures and symbols on a Lexigram, and is also thought to be one of the first Apes to show an understanding of spoken English.
Anne, Mark and Shaun also meet a chimpanzee memory genius, a 25-year-old gamer orangutan called Katie and the genius of the ocean, the dolphin.
Determination: He added of his own health: ‘Whilst I know I can’t delay the inevitable I know I can postpone it by keeping myself physically and mentally sharp’
In between the escapades, fans will have their jaws dropping when they see Mark, who revealed last year that he had shed five stone in lockdown, emerging from the ocean in tiny trunks in a scene many fans will recall.
In the same scene, Shaun is seen practicing yoga on the beach, during which he was flaunting his amazingly buff body which hit headlines last week.
Anne meanwhile – who first stripped off on TV in the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here jungle in 2019 – was seen getting into a bikini alongside Mark and Shaun to help learn from the tricks of a dolphin.
The Chaser’s Road Trip: Trains, Brains and Automobiles airs on Thursday 21st January 2021 at 9pm on ITV.
Final farewell: ‘I said my piece, I kissed him and I said my goodbyes. So on Father’s Day I lay flowers, say a few words and remember the things he has done for me’