The Chase's Shaun Wallace admits 'challenging' moment 'completely turned my life around'

Shaun Wallace is a quiz champion on ITV's The Chase (Image: ITV)

The Mastermind champion Shaun Wallace has graced TV screens for two decades and has starred on many quiz shows, including Catchphrase, Are You An Egghead? to The Weakest Link. The Dark Destroyer has since become a household name on the popular ITV show The Chase.

However, for the qualified barrister, 64, his move into television came at a pivotal moment when he found himself at the centre of a career crisis when he suffered a broken leg.

In an exclusive interview with Express Online on behalf of the Department for Education's Teach in Further Education campaign, Shaun admitted that entering quizzing had turned his life around.

"Of course, it's in my autobiography," he explained. "That's one of the reasons why I wrote my book [Chasing a Dream]. We've all had challenging moments in our careers."

Shaun continued: "I had [a career crisis] at the turn of the century when I was working by myself because I had broken my leg. I had to practice [law] by myself for about two to three years.

Shaun Wallace has teamed up with the Department of Further Education (Image: Supplied)

You do feel that your career is somewhere behind you.

Fortunately for me, going into the world of quizzing and becoming a Mastermind champion 20 years ago completely turned my life around. It's given me a platform to advocate for what I believe in."

Career pivoter Shaun is now calling on Generation X (Gen X) workers seeking more purpose and new ways to use their skills to join the many others from this generation who are already finding career fulfilment through teaching in further education (FE).

Shaun's pivot into television came in his 40s, making him ideally placed to encourage others to try something new in middle age.

Shaun Wallace is otherwise known as The Dark Destroyer on The Chase (Image: Getty)

New research has found that one in four people aged 44-59 want to change careers, and many are eager to pursue a more fulfilling role.

In addition to his career as a qualified barrister, lecturer and television personality, the Chaser is passionate about sharing his knowledge and skills with new learners.

Over the years, Shaun has mentored nearly 600 students, many of whom have succeeded in their professional careers.

He commented, "I was a part-time lecturer four nights a week for 14 years, and I think it's important that people in Gen X who feel they need a career pivot and do something else because they feel their career is stagnating or want to make a change and make positive contributions to society use their transferable skills in further education. I think it's a good way to support those coming into the field of further education."

Shaun continued: “If your career crisis feels like a quiz question you can’t answer, teaching in further education could hold the solution. Since sharing my skills through FE teaching, I’ve taught nearly 600 students and watched them go on to thrive in roles from lawyers to bank managers.

Real world experience is invaluable when teaching in FE. As a Barrister, I took my skills from the courtroom to the classroom to inspire learners to pursue their dream career path.

If you’re looking for something new in your career, it’s never too late to expand your horizons. Stepping out of your comfort zone and exploring new opportunities can lead to personal growth and a renewed sense of purpose. Teaching in FE is a great way to share your existing skills and knowledge with learners hoping to pursue a role within your sector.”

To find out more about how you could share your existing industry skills by teaching in further education, visit gov.uk/teach-in-further-education.