Paul Sinha, star of The Chase, has provided an update on his health while dealing with Parkinson’s disease, revealing his plans for the future.
This year, the renowned quizzer and comedian is appearing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for the 12th time, with a performance called Pauly Bengali at The Stand’s New Town Theatre in the Scottish capital.
In 2019, the 53-year-old declared publicly that he had Parkinson’s disease, adding at the time, “I will fight this with every breath.”
According to the NHS, the disease is a disorder in which “parts of the brain become progressively destroyed over many years,” with symptoms including uncontrollable shaking, stiff muscles, and slower-than-normal movement.
Paul recently spoke about his latest show, as well as his future plans, on Richard Herring’s podcast RHLSTP (Richard Herring’s Leicester Square Theatre Podcast).
‘At this stage of my career, I’m known as the guy who’s got Parkinson’s. I’ve been known as that for the last four years,’ he stated.
‘I have no idea how long I’m going to be a stand-up for, because I get more tired with every passing year. I just want to go up and do a show that I enjoy and is fun.’
The TV personality admitted that his show is ‘less fun’ than he initially imagined it was going to be, because ‘I’m a man with opinions and opinions have got to be made’.
He continued: ‘The one thing it’s not about is pathos. This is not a show feeling sorry for yourself. It’s not a show about, “Oh, woe is me, I’m slowing down.”’
Paul – whose full name is Supriya Kumar Sinha – admitted that seeing younger comedians with their ‘boundless enthusiasm’ made him feel old when he went to Edinburgh for the festival last year.
Nonetheless, he wished them success before speaking candidly about what the future could hold for him.
What are symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?
The NHS outlines that the main symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are:
- Involuntary shaking
- Stiff and inflexible muscles
- movement that’s slower than usual
Other symptoms can also include:
- Issues with balance
- Loss of sense of smell
- Insomnia
- Struggles with memory
- Balance issues
‘I just want to have fun and try stuff. Without wishing to sound bleak, my time is running out, but I hate that people use that as a headline, because I don’t know what degree my time is running out,’ he stated.
‘It could be five years, it could be 10 years for all I know. I just know that my time is running out. I just want to throw enough s**t at the wall to come out of it and go, “I’m enjoying myself.”’
The podcast host highlighted that the message is a ‘good lesson for everyone’, because ‘all of our time is running out’.
‘I think it’s important to end your career with no regrets,’ Paul added.
The Chase actor recently revealed that his Parkinson’s disease has rendered him unable to dance or drive.
‘Everything is slower in general. To go to an event, I have to wake up an hour earlier than I otherwise would have done,’ he told The Daily Star.
‘It takes that bit longer to get dressed. I am much more dependent on my husband than I used to be. But he helps me a lot.’
