The Chase star Shaun Wallace has revealed how much he earns from the game show when compared with his day job as a barrister.
Wallace, a quizzing expert who won Mastermind in 2004, said that his takings from the show are in the “six-zero territory” – and that he earns ten times the amount he was before signing up to the ITV series.
But despite this hefty sum, he continues his work as a barrister to supplement his earnings, with The Chase comprising 70 per cent of his income with “the legal side” covering 30 per cent.
Wallace told The Times that his earnings have “increased massively since I’ve started working in TV,” Wallace said, adding: “I still practice [as a barrister], though, so I have dual income.”
Wallace has appeared as a “chaser” on the ITV game show since 2009, earning himself the nickname of “The Dark Destroyer”.
Originally from Brent in north-west London, the 64-year-old trivia king has also revealed how his payslip helps fund his unexpected weakness when it comes to extravagant purchases – shoes.
Estimating that he has spent roughly £50,000 on footwear, Wallace said he typically pays around £2,000 to £3,000 per pair.
Growing up with his mother working as a nurse and his father in a Heinz factory, Wallace said his financial situation is “far, far better off” than his parents had been. But he also highlighted his dedication to supporting charities with his earnings, especially those helping people with motor neurone disease after his father Linford died from it in 2014.
He said that “everything changed” when he won Mastermind in 2004 – his specialist subject was FA Cup finals. “Not just my finances, my whole life.”
Wishing he could have paid off his father’s mortgage before he died, Wallace emphasised that his financial priority was his “immediate family”.
He credits his current financial security to his approach to “treat it [money] with respect and don’t be wasteful with it”. This attitude has led him to be “sitting pretty”.
Wallace made his debut on The Chase in 2009 and has appeared on 461 episodes to date.
