Newly-wed The Chase star Paul Sinha explains why he is living his ‘dream life’

The professional quizzer and comedian, 49, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in May after suffering two years of health problems, including a frozen right shoulder and Type 2 diabetes.

He said that despite his illness he was “paradoxically” the most happy he had been, and did not feel unlucky.

Speaking to Elis James and John Robins on BBC Radio 5 Live, the former doctor, who is gay, said: “I’ve had a tough life. I ended up doing a career that I never ever wanted to do, which was medicine, because I was pushed into it by medical parents and the cultural values they represented, and I ended up doing a job I was okay at but absolutely hated.

“I was the most unhappy drunk you could possibly imagine. I was the guy who would be crying in the corner of his own birthday party.

“It was a cry for help because being single and being someone who felt excluded by the gay scene, I just never got to meet the kind of people I wanted to go out with let alone be in a position where I could ask them out.

“Now, paradoxically, I’m happy. I’m happy because I am the person I wanted to be – a professional comedian and professional quizzer.

“How could I possibly be having more of a dream life than the one I’m having now?”

“I am really, really, really pleased this has happened to me in a position where I’m living the life I want to live.

“I’m really grateful for the decisions I’ve made that have made this lifestyle possible. A lot of it is just based on luck.”

The NHS describes Parkinson’s disease as a condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years.

The main symptoms are involuntary shaking of parts of the body, the slowing of movement and stiff, inflexible muscles.

Since his diagnosis, Sinha has continued as a quizzer, or a Chaser, on The Chase alongside fellow quiz experts Mark “The Beast” Labbett, Anne “The Governess” Hegerty, Shaun “The Dark Destroyer” Wallace and Jenny “The Vixen” Ryan.

He said he had already completed his bucket list by the time he was diagnosed.

Sinha added: “I don’t have a timeline for what’s going to happen. As a result of not having a timeline I’m very much ‘Do everything’. Just get on with it.

“Luckily I’ve got nothing on a bucket list. I would consider my bucket list to have two things on it: Win a major quiz tournament – done. Sell out a decent size venue (as a stand-up) – done.”

Listen to the full interview on the BBC Sounds podcast How Do You Cope?