Chase star to play Welly

It was a ‘‘midlife crisis’’ that lead The Chase’s Paul Sinha to become a stand-up comedian. Speaking on TVNZ’s Breakfast yesterday, the quiz master said he’d wanted to make a change from his first career. ‘‘I was a professional doctor for many years.’’ Now, ‘The Sinha-man’ as he’s known on the ultra popular UK quiz show, is bringing his standup show to New Zealand for the International Comedy Festival. Sinha said his comedy was ‘‘all autobiographical’’. ‘‘I’ve got a very unusual life,’’ he told Tame. ‘‘I am, as far as I’m aware, the only openly gay, British-Asian qualified doctor and competitive quizzer in the international comedy scene.’’ The New Zealand International Comedy Festival kicks off in Auckland and Wellington on May 2, with shows running until May 26.