Professional quizzer, part-time lecturer and barrister Shaun Wallace has been a part of The Chase ecosystem since its inception in 2009.
The original Chaser recently revealed he is in a relationship. He also said he is married… to his career.
A few weeks ago, audiences speculated that he had deliberately thrown a question about how many centimetres are in a metre. He said 10. Someone tweeted that he was as “thick as mince”.
Another said he was throwing the round. But his figures on The Chase are solid. He may have a less impressive streak than his fellow Chasers, but his average payout per episode is actually the highest…
Shaun Wallace ‘sitting pretty’ with salary in ‘six-figure territory’
Original Chaser Shaun Wallace told The Times earlier this year that he makes 10 times more as a quizzer than he used to as a barrister.
But how much did he earn in 2024?
Well into six-zero territory and my earnings have increased massively since I’ve started working in TV.
“A lot. That’s all I’ll say. How many zeros? Well into six-zero territory and my earnings have increased massively since I’ve started working in TV. I got paid well as a barrister but I’m now earning about 10 times the amount I was before.”
He still practises, so he has a dual income stream. And he estimates that two-thirds of his income is from TV work. The other third comes from his legal side hustle.
The most important lesson he ever learned about money was to treat it with respect. And to not be wasteful with it. He says he follows those two principles with “every ounce” of his being, and that’s why he’s “sitting pretty”.
How Shaun Wallace’s earnings on The Chase compare to his fellow Chasers
Shaun Wallace has appeared on 470 episodes of The Chase since it launched in 2009, according to One Question Shootout, a website that collects data relating to the show.
A total of 2,270 episodes have aired, so Shaun has been in about a fifth. He has won 331 times, or, 70.4% of the time.
In other words, out of every 100, he wins about 70.
Over the course of his time with the programme, his total winnings amount to almost £5.5 million. Not bad, Shaun. Not bad at all.
And while he has a worse rate of winning than his peers, his average payout per episode is actually the highest, at more than £5,800.
The Chaser with the best overall win rate is Darragh Ennis, who has won 79 out of 101 of his head-to-heads. But his average payout is the lowest, at just over £4,000.
Shaun says the most important thing for him is that his immediate family get help when they need it. When he had nothing, they were there for him, “so I’ll do the same back”.
His success on The Chase is one of the ways he secures that freedom.
Beat The Chasers is in ITV1 tonight (May 17) at 8.15pm.
Read more: Shaun Wallace’s days on The Chase numbered as quizzer set to exit: ‘Singled out as the weakest link’
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