Holly Beaumont
ITV’s popular quiz show The Chase has released its fifth season of the spin-off series, Beat the Chasers.
The spin-off show will include some faces that we already know and love, like Mark ‘The Beast’ Labbett, and Shaun ‘The Dark Destroyer’ Wallace, however the show will also include a brand new chaser. So, who has been added to this group of brainboxes?
The new chaser is Australian, Issa Schultz. Issa has been a regular on The Chase Australia since 2015 and so, he is no stranger to the quiz show. While on The Chase Australia, Schultz was given the nickname ‘The Supernerd’, setting high expectations for UK viewers about his intellectual capabilities.
Schultz has stepped in to fill the place of the well-liked Anne ‘The Governess’ Hegerty, who had to step out of filming due to contracting Covid-19. Issa explained that he was rushed to the UK a mere ‘eight hours’ after receiving the news that he had gotten the job. He said, "they needed the seat to be filled urgently", "but I’m just glad I stepped in." Despite the rushed nature of his arrival in the UK, explaining that it would have been preferable to have been brought over under different circumstances, he described the job as his ‘dream’ role.
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Issa said that Anne Hegerty was supportive about him joining the show and explained that she kept sending him ‘lovely messages’. He said that Anne’s absence has left him with ‘massive shoes to fill’.
He also described Anne as a ‘terrifying woman’ and said that UK viewers should not expect the same manner from him. According to Issa, The Chase UK is ‘very serious and stern’, compared to our banterous Australian counterparts. He assured viewers of his relaxed style, explaining that his slogan is, "He’ll defeat you, but with a smile."
You can watch Issa on Beat The Chasers weeknights at 9pm on ITV.