CHASING a dream

Australian quizzer ISSA SCHULTZ on bringing 'The Supernerd' to the UK

- VICTORIA WILSON

BEAT THE CHASERS

NEW MONDAY-FRIDAY, 9PM, ITV QUIZ SHOW

He's an Australian quiz-show champion with a penchant for natty bow ties, and now Issa Schultz is set to become a household name in the UK, too, as a new brainbox on ITV's hit spin-off series Beat the Chasers.

Since 2015, Issa has been a regular star on The Chase Australia, where he's affectionately known as The Supernerd. And when UK Chaser Anne Hegerty, AKA The Governess, who he works with on the Oz version, caught COVID-19 just before filming was set to begin on series five of Beat the Chasers, Issa got an important call...

'When it's iam in Oz and you're thinking of going to bed, the last thing you expect is a call telling you to get on a plane to the UK in eight hours time,' says Issa, 38, as he joins TV Times for an exclusive video interview to chat about landing his 'dream' role.

I'm still pinching myself. Ideally, I'd have been brought over to England under different circumstances, but they needed the seat to be filled urgently. I've been told I "saved the day", but I'm just glad I could step in.'

Here, Issa who was born in St Austell, Cornwall, before moving to Australia as a child reveals what viewers can expect from the newest Chaser on the block...

Welcome back to the UK, Issa! Sounds like you had a mad dash to get here...

I did, and landing on the first day of filming was peculiar. I'd hoped I could squeeze in a quick nap, but we had to sort outfits and do rehearsals to test whether I gelled with [host] Bradley Walsh and the crew, and then we went straight into filming.

I guess the adrenaline kept me going. I certainly crashed into bed at the end of that first day, I can assure you!

How do you feel about stepping in for Anne?