The Chase star Paul Sinha has revealed how his life has changed since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s but says "I am ploughing on and working as hard as I can.”

The ITV quiz icon was diagnosed with the progressive condition in 2019 and has said he is now “more dependent” on his husband Oliver Levy who he appears on Celebrity Gogglebox with.

He also explained that he "can't drive or dance anymore.”

Speaking to the Daily Star, Sinha said: “With the pandemic and social media, you are constantly aware that other people are having harder lives than you are.

“You realise that you should not concentrate on feeling sorry for yourself.

“I do what I have to do to improve my quality of life. I don’t consider myself brave – I consider myself practical and pragmatic. I am ploughing on and working as hard as I can.”

Sinha, who is a fully qualified doctor, added: “The worst part of this journey was the beginning when I was diagnosed. It was difficult taking in the enormity of the news.

“My Parkinson’s means I can’t dance anymore… I couldn’t do Strictly or anything like that. And I don’t drive anymore.

“Everything is slower in general. To go to an event, I have to wake up an hour earlier than I otherwise would have done.

“It takes that bit longer to get dressed. I am much more dependent on my husband than I used to be. But he helps me a lot.”

Sinha spoke about his role in the public eye since he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s four years ago at the age of 49.

The comedian said: “There is a responsibility when you’re in the public eye. I have become an unofficial spokesman for Parkinson’s.

“It’s not what I wanted for myself, but life throws you a few curveballs and you’ve got to do what’s best for you.

“I get a lot of messages and it helps my mood and my happiness to know that I’m making a difference.

“Not everyone with Parkinson’s is going through the same journey. Some people are diagnosed later, some are diagnosed early. We all present in different ways.

“So it’s nice for people to have someone to talk to on social media and compare notes.”

What is Parkinson’s disease?

Parkinson's disease is a condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years, reports the NHS.

Echo: The main symptoms of Parkinson's disease are involuntary shaking of particular body parts The main symptoms of Parkinson's disease are involuntary shaking of particular body parts (Image: Getty)

The main symptoms of Parkinson's disease are involuntary shaking of particular parts of the body (tremor), slow movement and stiff and inflexible muscles.

A person diagnosed with the condition can also experience many other physical and psychological symptoms such as memory and balance problems.

Parkinson's can start to develop in a person when they're over 50 years old although early signs can appear under 40.

Currently, there is no cure but the NHS says treatments such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and medication are available to help manage the health problem and “maintain quality of life for as long as possible.”

If you have any concerns, it’s important to note you must speak to your GP. More information about Parkinson’s can be found on the NHS website and Parkinson’s UK.