The Chase's Shaun Wallace joins new ITV show after surprise announcement

Shaun Wallace, known to millions as The Dark Destroyer, has stunned fans by revealing he’s set to appear in a brand new ITV series away from his usual role on The Chase.

The barrister, who has been part of the popular quiz show since his debut on it in 2009, shared the news with his 89,800 followers on X on Monday. The 65-year-old received a wave of supportive messages after lifting the lid on his upcoming TV project.

Shaun announced that he will be starring in The Great Escapers, which is a new ITV series that will see celebrities from programmes such as Coronation Street, I’m A Celebrity, The Chase, and Loose Women head off on holiday together. The stars will compete to organise the ultimate day out while soaking up the sun together.

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Fellow Chasers Mark Labbett, known as The Beast, and Jenny 'The Vixen' Ryan have also been confirmed as part of the cast for the new show. Although the trio still appear to be committed to The Chase, it is not unusual for them to take on additional TV projects.

Shaun shared his excitement from the set in Greece, writing: "Very excited to be filming in Rhodes for a new show called ‘The Great Escapers’ with Mark @MarkLabbett and Jenny @jenlion. Looking forward to having a lot of fun with those two. Doing a spot of fitness in the sunshine, before we get going."

He also posted a video for fans that revealed more about his location. In it he explained: "Well here I am back in one of my favourite islands in the world.

"The island of Rhodes in the Dodecanese. I’m about to take part in a wonderful exciting holiday adventure called The Great Escapers."

Fans shared their best wishes with him, with one commenting: "Have a swell time," while another added: "Hope you win your episode, Shaun!"

Katie Rawcliffe, Director of Entertainment & Daytime at ITV, spoke about the series saying: "We’ve got some of ITV’s best-known faces flying out to the most gorgeous destinations in this brand-new series. We can’t wait to see the cast of Corrie, I’m A Celeb, The Chase and Loose Women in all of their holiday glory!"

The Great Escapers is being produced in partnership with Jet2 and will air later this year on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player.

This comes after Shaun hinted at how much money he makes recently, admitting that it is more than enough to ensure he can spend £50,000 on shoes alone.

When asked about his earnings by The Times, The Dark Destroyer shared: "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 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."

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