The Chase star Jenny Ryan, 41, on singing, inspiring friendships and facing her fears
A loving family is a cornerstone
My mum Julia had me when she was young, so growing up in Bolton, Lancashire, we lived with my grandparents and Mum’s four siblings.
I was a bit of an outsider at school but I knew I was the centre of my family universe at home. My grandad, Kevin, set me on the path to quizzing – we’d watch quizzes together. I was ten when he died [after a stroke at 62] and it was a big shock. It was his voice spurring me on to compete on University Challenge in 2002 when I was at Leeds University. It was his favourite show and I wish he could have seen me on it.
Find your destiny
Getting on to The Chase in 2014 changed my life. It felt like destiny, but the recruitment process took a year and there were two other people vying for it, so it was an agonising wait. Before then, I’d worked as a PA knowing that, ultimately, it wasn’t for me. I was in my 30s when I started as The Vixen, but I got there eventually.
Don’t let setbacks define you
I’m so proud of the way my friend [and Chase co-star] Paul Sinha has dealt with Parkinson’s disease [Paul was diagnosed in May 2019]. He has raised awareness and funds, and he is doing better than ever. He is an example to anybody that whatever you may be told about your future, push the envelope in what you can achieve in the here and now. I sang Starmaker at his wedding reception [he married Oliver Levy in 2019]. He only told me ten minutes before
