He’s beaten hundreds of contestants wanting to make a buck on TV, but how well does The Chase superstar Shaun Wallace know his own hit show? In town for some special charity quiz sessions, Mitchell Hageman puts The Dark Destroyer to the test.
And keep reading for your chance to take our The Chase quiz.
Stressed? Not really, except maybe when Chelsea Football Club is losing, Shaun Wallace tells me with a grin.
“I feel very, very fortunate and privileged to be doing the two jobs I’ve always wanted to do,” says The Chase’s Dark Destroyer who is also a registered barrister with 41 years under his belt.
This is the 65-year-old’s fifth visit to New Zealand since 2019, and his love affair with Aotearoa (which he pronounces perfectly) has only gotten stronger.
Wallace has been a mainstay on the hit UK quiz show since 2009, and is travelling the country for a series of charity quiz bouts for local organisation Cure Kids.
Wallace’s last tour in 2023 raised $80,000 for local charities, but besides his passion for the cause, it’s the moments with his fans he treasures the most.
“I just love the country. The people are wonderful, and the reason why I like to come is to say thank you to the many New Zealanders that I possibly can for making the show such a success,” he says.
“When I landed, I was instantly recognised, even though I came in a cap and tried to get my head down.”
Friendly as they come, Wallace still takes his Chase role seriously. And beating the show’s contestants is definitely at the top of the agenda.
“Game face. No, I don’t want them to win. Although I’m the only Chaser who goes to see the contestants afterwards, whether they win or lose. So, I’ll always do that.”
But how would The Dark Destroyer fare with questions about the game that made him famous?
It turns out, pretty well. We won’t spoil it - you can test your own knowledge below - but Wallace got a perfect score.
How much do you know about The Chase? Take our quiz:
Luckily, our test didn’t include any questions about rugby, as Wallace, a life-long All Blacks fan was lightning fast, running down the stats and history of clashes as we discussed the weekend’s test against Ireland.
WATCH: Shaun Wallace takes our Chase quiz
However, even the best quizzers come across things that stump them.
“Well, every Achilles has a heel, and mine is definitely soaps,” he admits.
“I don’t watch soap [operas], I’m not really interested. So, if I’m asked a question on soap, I’ll either guess Coronation Street, Hollyoaks, Eastenders, or Emmerdale.”
He’s heard of Shortland Street, but “probably couldn’t tell you anything about what it was about”.
He’s got time to brush up on NZ’s longest running drama though. Wallace is embarking on a road trip around the country with close friend Brendan Lochead of Believe It Or Not Quiz to raise money for charity.
One of the stops, on November 8, is at the New Zealand Quiz Championship, which marks its 25th anniversary this year.
“I’m actually putting up a team to take part. So that’s going to be interesting to see how well I fare against some of the top, top quizzers in New Zealand. So it’s going to be fantastic,” says Wallace.
Tickets are still available for the Masterton, Invercargill and Christchurch quiz nights.
Shaun Wallace’s Cure Kids Quiz Nights:
• November 3 – Fable Terrace Downs Resort, Windwhistle
• November 4 – Riccarton Park, Christchurch
• November 5 – McCashin’s Tap Room, Nelson
• November 7 – Bill Richardson Transport World, Invercargill
• November 10 – Copthorne Hotel & Resort Solway Park Wairarapa
• November 11 – 1841 Bar and Restaurant, Wellington
• November 13 – The Freeport with Cleaver & Co, Mount Maunganui
• November 14 – Navigation Homes Stadium, Pukekohe
Tickets can be purchased via Ticketmaster.