The Chase star reveals a surprising item they have splashed £50,000 on after admitting to being richer than ever after their TV fame.
Their takings last year were in the “six zero territory” – ten times the amount they made before their move into telly.
Shaun Wallace, 64, is best known as the “Dark Destroyer” on The Chase and is one of six chasers on the ITV quiz show.
Away from the cameras, Shaun is also a qualified and practising barrister.
In an interview with The Times he revealed: “I got paid well as a barrister but I’m now earning about ten times the amount I was before.”
“I still practise, though, so I have a dual income. Probably 70 per cent of my income comes from my TV work and 30 per cent from the legal side.”
“Everything changed when I won Mastermind in 2004. Not just my finances, my whole life.”
But what special items does he splash his money on?
He admitted: “I spend about two or three thousand pounds on a pair of shoes and I’ve got a whole wardrobe full of them.”
He thinks he has probably spent about £50,000 on them in total but doesn’t want to disclose the brand because he doesn’t want any freebies.
He insists he’s still the same man he was before finding fame and has no interest in its trappings.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”The Chase viewers brand ITV show a ‘fix’ as Shaun Wallace has a nightmare round – but would you have got the answer right?” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6364583967112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]In an exclusive interview with The Sun he disclosed: “Fame hasn’t changed me. Never will do, I control it. It doesn’t control me.”
“That’s how comfortable I am with my life. That’s how comfortable I am with my own skin. That’s how comfortable I am with the way in which I stay in control of my destiny.
He believes God’s given him only one life and he is going to use it to the best of his abilities.
“For me, it’s always about trying to use your fame in an altruistic way. That’s how I enrich myself. Because it enriches others.”
“I’m happy with my life,” he says. “I’m very fortunate and grateful to be where I am. But you know, guess what? I’ve got to keep on going.
“Got to keep on inspiring. Got to keep on moving. People put me on a pedestal.
“I don’t like to be put on a pedestal. Because as I say, I’m human like everybody else. I make mistakes.
“And the fall from grace can be swift and unrelenting. And like Humpty Dumpty, I might not be able to be put back together again.”
The need to inspire others has been engrained in Shaun from a young age. Prior to becoming a legal professional he worked as a teacher in Hackney.
He continues to mentor despite his new fame, delivering lectures and talks in schools and colleges to help motivate young people to succeed.
The Chase airs on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.