Bradley Walsh, 61, reveals retirement plans

Bradley Walsh has revealed he’s contemplating retirement, despite being named as one of the ‘richest stars on TV’.

The Chase host, 61, admitted he struggles to keep up with his busy working schedule and lamented not having any downtime. 

He told The Sun: ‘You know what, in a couple of years time I won’t have to do any of it, I’ll be retired and that’ll be it.’

Bradley, who hosts The Chase and its spin-off shows Celebrity Chase and Beat The Chasers, reveals he only records the shows on 86 days of the year.

However, he explained: ‘Out of 365 days, you’d imagine I have loads of time off. But once you’ve got your bedrock of shows set in, that allows you then to go off and do other things.   

‘I don’t actually have time off, I have meetings, I have personal appearances I have to make and stuff like that with other things I’ve got going on, so it’s quite tricky to juggle it about.’

The presenter, who has helmed The Chase for 12 years, isn’t slowing down any time soon though, as he is about to front new BBC1 game show Take Off with Holly Willoughby and is currently filming his role as Pa Larkin in ITV’s Darling Buds Of May reboot The Larkins.

Over the years, the actor has also enjoyed roles as Danny Baldwin in Coronation Street, as DS Ronnie Brooks in Law & Order: UK, and as Graham O’Brien in Doctor Who.

The multi-talented star  – who’s also a former professional footballer – also turned his hand to music and has released two albums.   

He released Chasing Dreams in 2016 and When You’re Smiling the following year, which both reached the top 15 in the UK Albums Chart. 

Bradley is no doubt hoping that retirement will allow him to spend more time with his wife Donna Derby, with whom he shares son, Barney, 23. 

The father-son dup have a strong bond, and starred in the travel series Bradley Walsh & Son: Breaking Dad.

Bradley also has a daughter, Hayley, 39, from a previous relationship.

News of Bradley’s impending retirement comes after it was claimed his earnings have soared to almost £1million per year, making him one of the highest paid stars in the world of television with £12.5million in the bank. 

He is believed to be one of the richest earners on daytime TV, on par with the likes of Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield.

Accounts filed with his company, Wingit Productions, reveal his company’s net worth equates to £12.3million, an increase of more than £800,000 from £11.5million in 2020.

He is said to have £12.5million worth of assets – including a whopping £10.3million in cash, raising his net worth to £20million. 

A source told The Mirror: ‘Bradley is such a popular star on ITV, in particular, that it’s little wonder that he has the potential to earn so much money.’

Meanwhile This Morning hosts Phillip, 59, and Holly, 40, have amassed a wealth of £8million and £10million respectively.  

Away from the camera, the father-of-two has a successful property company which he shares with his wife Donna, and he owns a £2.5million farmhouse in Essex. 

Bradley has reportedly spent an additional £400,000 on forest land in Essex next to the M25 motorway. 

According to The Sun, the game show host has splashed the cash on the barren land next to the country’s busiest highway, but it remains unknown what he plans to do with the mysterious new plot.  

According to the title deeds obtained by the publication, the forest was purchased by Bradley’s company Barnstormer Holdings Ltd and the lender was Wingit Productions Ltd, his separate TV company.