The Chase star Shaun Wallace has timed his trip here to watch the All Blacks v England - but he admits he will have divided loyalties at the games.
When you are known around the world for your smarts, wit and intellect, one of the rewarding aspects is that you get to do some good work and raise money for charities.
That’s the attitude of The Chase star Shaun Wallace, aka The Dark Destroyer, and NZ’s favourite quizzer, who will be in Northland to perform at the Turner Centre, in Kerikeri, on July 12.
It’s Wallace’s third visit to NZ, though he’s never been that far north before, and he’s looking forward to experiencing a new part of the country - and possibly taking on some of the region’s top quizzers.
Wallace is one of the world’s most popular quiz champs in his role on TV show The Chase and public appearances. He is coming to the country again in July for five charity events with Sky-owned company Believe it Or Not (BION).
Wallace will continue his quizzing quest to raise more money for local charities following on from his successful visit last year that raised $80,000 for charity. BION will host An Evening with Shaun Wallace at Kerikeri’s Turner Centre, with Hospice Mid Northland benefiting from the proceeds of the show.
He said one of the best parts of having fame and success was that he could use it to raise money for so many vital causes. He’s also raising funds for Mike King’s Gumboot Friday charity as well as several others.
“And what’s the point of having fame like that if you don’t use it for doing good?”
The Egg Cups are the regular winners of the Rock Salt quiz night and team captain and Kaeo Primary principal Paul Barker has been running the team for about 15 years. He said it had a good range of skills and knowledge among its members - himself, Brett Choat, Dion Prime, Louise Huett, Carol Barker, Sara Epley and Corine Wils.
Some of the team have met Wallace previously at the BION national quiz finals and Barker reckons they have what it takes to beat him if it came to a head-to-head battle. The team members have built up a good understanding of each other’s strengths and have most areas covered.
“Sara is our expert on the US, presidents, states, etc, she’s very knowledgeable. Corine has travelled extensively and is our world/geography person, while Carol is our literature person who just knows so many facts. Louise is our arts and UK specialist and Brett is our generalist and music man. And I’m the sports person here.
“But our secret weapon is Dion - he knows everything. Dion is our own destroyer who doesn’t seem to have a weak area, whether it’s history, geography, pop culture whatever ... he’s like a sponge who can soak up all that knowledge and just recall it when needed. To be honest Dion does most of the work and the rest of us just fill in the gaps.”
Wallace said he had no doubt the Egg Cups would be capable of beating him and he’s hoping that he gets the chance to pit his wits against them. And he may get the opportunity as there will be a quiz as part of his appearance and he will take on the winning team.
He timed his trip here to soak up the two rugby tests between England and the All Blacks, but admits he’ll have divided loyalties during the games.
“I’m English, but the All Blacks are such a fantastic and formidable rugby team, I love watching their style of play, and I’m sure they will be good tests.”
He expects the ABs to win though.
One of Wallace’s biggest passions is football - he’s a lifelong Chelsea fan - and it’s that love of the Beautiful Game that first brought him to public attention.
Wallace won the 2004 Mastermind TV contest in England and his specialist subject was FA Cup Finals - and one of the questions was about the fastest goals in FA Cup final history - scored by his beloved Chelsea against Middlesbrough on May 17, 1997, (this reporter remembers the game very well as he was there, and hadn’t had a chance to sit down for the game before Roberto Di Matteo scored after 43 seconds against my Boro team. Thankfully, as Wallace points out - not surprisingly knowing the players and times - there have been two quicker goals since so my team no longer has that ignominy).
Chelsea then beat Boro in the 1998 League Cup final to again deny them their first-ever trophy, but Wallace had the grace not to rub that one in - too much.
Wallace said he’s not allowed to get big-headed over his international fame anyway as his family and friends would pretty soon bring him back down to earth.
“One of my things is that I could never beat my brother at Trivial Pursuit. So when I won Mastermind he said to me ‘that’s great, you might be Mastermind of the UK, but you’re still not the best in your house’ so there’s no way [he’d be allowed to get an over-inflated opinion of himself].”
And besides, he goes on holiday every year with 12 or so friends that he grew up with and have been alongside him all that time.
“I know many people [from the showbiz side of his work] and some are great people, but they are not my friends like that. They haven’t known me all that time and been there for me - my childhood friends always have been and that’s why we go on holiday together every year.”
Growing up as a black kid in London Wallace was subjected to plenty of racism and he says his Dark Destroyer mantle is in some way a dig at those who belittled him and his friends - saying they might try to put him down but he’ll be able to destroy them mentally.
“I’m a black man and a proud black man and proud of what I have achieved. And proud of my [Dark Destroyer] name,’’ he says.
On his wall at home he has a mural with some of the many black heroes that inspired him - people like Pele, Martin Luther King, Muhammad Ali, and Bob Marley.
I surprised Wallace with the fact that New Zealand has a public holiday on Marley’s birthday (Waitangi Day on February 6). It’s something he didn’t know and I’m a bit peeved as that was another question we could have stumped him with.
He said looking at those strong, influential black people and their achievements gave him the inspiration he needed in life to push past the bigotry.
Also his big sister was a huge inspiration and gave him the confidence and push to become a lawyer.
Wallace still works as a criminal defence lawyer in London, and reckons being a high-profile TV personality does not help him in the courts in any way as they have to stick to the law. It can make for some interesting conversations with clients though.
So what has been the one question he’s faced that completely stumped him?
“Oh, that’s ‘what is the colour of Marge Simpson’s hair?’ I never watched the Simpsons so had no idea whatsoever.”
But don’t think that gives you an area to catch him out on as he’s since scrubbed up on Simpsons knowledge so he doesn’t get something from out of the blue (which is also the colour of Marge’s hair) again.
So how does Shaun Wallace relax in his spare time?
“I like to keep myself fit.”
Hardly surprising really with the mantra of healthy body healthy mind, and he needs his mind to keep absorbing all the information it stores for his quizzing career.
So what’s his advice to budding quizzers wanting to reach their peak?
He said having an interest in a subject makes it easier to learn about, so find out everything you can about those things that really interest you. Then start taking an interest in other things and learn as much as you can.
“And never, ever, give up on your dreams and keep revisiting them along the way. You may not always realise them, and they may change along the way, but if you don’t have dreams to aim for you will never reach them.”
The Kerikeri event is now sold out, but for more details about the visit go to believeitornot.co.nz
Much of the South Island is set to plunge below 0C tonight and tomorrow.