The Chase star's terrifying health scare: 'The worst week and a half of my life'

The Chase star Paul Sinha has opened up about a terrifying health scare which he describes as 'the worst week' of his life. 

The TV personality, 55, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019, revealed he underwent open-heart surgery. 

© Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock

Speaking on The One Show on August 20, Paul opened up about his decision to pursue a career in stand-up comedy after previously working as a general practitioner and how that led him to performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 

Paul last appeared at the festival back in 2023 when he suffered two heart attacks in the span of a few weeks. "The last time I came to Edinburgh Festival was 2023, I had a show that I really enjoyed but my time here was slowly spoiled by the fact that the first week, I had a small heart attack, and in the third week, I had a small heart attack. That's not the Edinburgh that you want," he recalled. 

"I had a coronary artery bypass operation, which I can honestly say was the worst week and a half of my life

"Everything has been a sort of comeback since then. Steady, unspectacular comeback, no great drama." 

Paul Sinha's Parkinson's diagnosis

The quizmaster recently returned to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for his stand-up show, 2 Sinha Lifetime. 

Appearing on ITV's Good Morning Britain, the 55-year-old shared details of how his diagnosis is addressed in the show: 

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"I do lots of jokes about it. It's as simple as that. You deal with the cards you've been dealt, and if you've been given a comedy goldmine, as Parkinson's is, then you deal with it." 

He continued: "I mean, as far as I'm aware, no other comedians at the Edinburgh Fringe will be talking about their own struggles with neurological degeneration so might as well be me." 

What is Parkinson's disease?

According to the NHS website, Parkinson's disease is a "condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years". 

Symptoms can include tremors, slow movement and stiff or inflexible muscles, as well as a series of psychological symptoms which may include anxiety, depression, balance problems, anosmia, insomnia or issues with memory.