THE CHASE star Paul Sinha has opened up about the ‘telltale’ Parkinson’s symptom her doctor spotted while watching him on TV.
While appearing on the Full Discolore podcast, the 54-year-old professional quizzer said many struggle to spot the signs of the neurological condition when it first emerges.
GettyPaul Sinha was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2019[/caption]
Channel 4Paul revealed his doctor spotted ‘telltale’ symptoms after watching him on Taskmaster[/caption]
This is usually because the disease begins with mild symptoms that develop very gradually.
Paul, who used to be a doctor, said “many” of his medical friends had seen him and not spotted his Parkinson’s symptoms.
It wasn’t until he saw his consultant for a second time that his symptoms became clear.
“I went to see him and he said ‘I’ve just been watching you on Taskmaster, I wish I’d known. I would have diagnosed you far quicker,” Paul said.
“There were telltale signs in the way I adjust and move that he said were diagnostic,” the quizzer added.
Paul, who also tours the country as a stand-up comedian was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019.
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.
The disease, which currently affects 153,000 people across the country, is the fastest-growing neurological condition in the world.
Paul returned to screens in May in a new series of Beat The Chasers, with other projects in the pipeline.
He told Daily Star: ”I’m trying to prove to the world that Parkinson’s doesn’t have to be the end of somebody’s story… that you can carry on doing the things you love.
“The important thing is to not let it define you.”
I feel that I’ve shown in the past three or four years that you can do it whilst having Parkinson’s
Paul Sinha
Prior to joining The Chase, Paul appeared on other quiz shows including Mastermind, The Weakest Link and University Challenge: The Professionals.
Much like many of his Chaser colleagues, Paul also competed to become part of the Eggheads team, then on BBC Two, in Are You An Egghead?
He took part in series eight of Taskmaster alongside Iain Stirling, Joe Thomas, Lou Sanders and Sian Gibson.
Paul trained as a doctor and worked as a junior doctor in hospitals in London.
RexPaul Sinha as a quizzer on the Chase[/caption]
He also began to perform stand-up comedy during this period.
“I feel that I’ve shown in the past three or four years that you can do it whilst having Parkinson’s,” Paul said.
“There’s no limit to what you feel you’re able to do.
“It’s a good way of measuring its progression because my results haven’t got worse since I got Parkinson’s.
“It’s a good way of measuring my brain’s ability and function.”
He added: “I’ve always said that if I felt that the ability was going down, I’d call it myself, and I still stand by that.
“But it’s definitely not going down, so that’s fine.”
‘MUCH-MISUNDERSTOOD CONDITION’
Steve Ford, chief executive of Parkinson’s UK, previously praised Sinha’s decision to speak out about his diagnosis.
Steve said: “Paul Sinha bravely speaking about his Parkinson’s diagnosis, and the journey he has been on to get to this point, will do so much to raise awareness of this much-misunderstood condition.
“With more than 40 symptoms, Parkinson’s undoubtedly throws up new challenges, but with the right treatment and support we can help people to take control of their lives with this unpredictable condition.”
He added: “Paul’s determination to live well with Parkinson’s is mirrored by an incredibly passionate Parkinson’s community, determined both to find new and better treatments but also to not let Parkinson’s hold them back.”
Everything you need to know about Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition, meaning that it causes problems in the brain and gets worse over time.
It affects around 153,000 people in the UK.
People with Parkinson’s don’t have enough of the chemical dopamine because some of the nerve cells that make it have stopped working.
This can cause a range of more than 40 symptoms, but the three main ones are:
Tremor (shaking)
Slow movement
Rigidity (muscle stiffness)
Other common signs include:
Mild memory and thinking problems
Trouble sleeping
Issues with balance
Pain
Anxiety and depression
Shuffling walk with very small steps
Difficulty making facial expressions
Loss of sense of smell
Problems peeing
Constipation
The four main ways of managing Parkinson’s include medication, staying active, exploring occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech and language therapy, and monitoring symptoms.
Source: Parkinson’s UK and NHS