Issa Schultz

{{Short description|British-Australian quizzer and TV personality}}

{{EngvarB|date=March 2019}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Issa Schultz

| alt =

| caption = Issa Schultz

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1984|03|1}}

| birth_place = Truro, Cornwall, England

| citizenship = United Kingdom, Australia

| other_names = "The Supernerd"

| occupation = Television quiz personality

| years_active =

| known_for = The Chase Australia
Hell's Kitchen Australia

| notable_works =

}}

Issa Schultz (born 1 March 1984){{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/Issa25|title=Issa Schultz (@Issa25)|publisher=Twitter|accessdate=18 September 2015}} is a British-Australian television quiz personality best known for being one of the "chasers" on The Chase Australia, where he is nicknamed "The Supernerd".{{cite web|url=http://www.mediaweek.com.au/seven-previews-the-chase/|title= Seven previews The Chase|publisher=Mediaweek|date=10 August 2015|accessdate=11 August 2015}}

In addition to his current role on The Chase Australia, Schultz is also an eleven-time winner of the Australian Quizzing Championships (2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022,

2023, 2024){{Cite web|url=http://prwire.com.au/permalink/60349/supernerd-regains-national-quiz-title|title=Press Release: "Supernerd" regains national quiz title|website=prwire.com.au|access-date=2016-06-08}}{{cite web|title=All the results are now final. Congratulations to the Top 10 Australians at the 2018 World Quiz Championships. Issa Supernerd Schultz claims his sixth national title.|url=https://www.facebook.com/QuizzingAust/posts/pfbid02FcaYbxq81oK2ad9S4Tcfz4HwRHRBDbGGhT9C6Zgm4hYGCjRLzQ7S5zTMc2zxgmD8l|date=5 June 2018|access-date=12 September 2023|publisher=Facebook}} {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=March 2022}} and seven-time Pairs champion (2012–17, 2020). He also appeared on The Rich List, where he won $200,000 in 2009, as well as Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and The Einstein Factor.{{cite web|url=http://mastersgames.com.au/ppmg/master-trivia-crowned-gold-coast/|title=Master of trivia to be crowned on the Gold Coast|work=Pan Pacific Masters Games|date=28 August 2014|accessdate=7 January 2016}}

His name Issa is an Arabic version of the name "Jesus", which he was named after a best friend of his parents when they worked in Qatar in the 1970s.{{cite web|title=The Chase Australia|url=http://www.sevenwestmedia.com.au/docs/default-source/business-unit-news/the-chase-australia---weekdays-5pm.pdf?sfvrsn=2|accessdate=19 November 2015|page=5|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017175959/http://www.sevenwestmedia.com.au/docs/default-source/business-unit-news/the-chase-australia---weekdays-5pm.pdf?sfvrsn=2|archive-date=17 October 2015|url-status=dead}} Schultz and his family moved to Australia from Britain in 1995.{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/other-game-shows-too-slow-for-the-chases-supernerd-20150929-gjwn2k.html|title=Other game shows 'too slow' for The Chase's Supernerd|date=4 October 2015|accessdate=7 January 2016|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|first=David|last=Dale}} They settled in Tewantin, Queensland and Schultz attended Tewantin State School and Noosa District State High School. He was one of the four school captains in 2001.{{cite news |last1=Rex |first1=Sarah |date=13 February 2016 |title=The Supernerd – one of the smartest men on television |url=https://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/the-supernerd-smartest-men-on-television/2928644/ |url-access=subscription |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=12 September 2023 |newspaper=Sunshine Coast Daily}}

In 2017, Schultz appeared as a celebrity contestant on Hell's Kitchen Australia.{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/reality-tv/the-celebrities-taking-on-marco-pierre-white-in-hells-kitchen-australia-are-named/news-story/52082c434d4a7d30fb2994d6609fffee|title=The celebrities taking on Marco Pierre White in Hell's Kitchen Australia are named|date=24 March 2017|accessdate=24 March 2017|first=Amelia|last=Saw|work=news.com.au}}{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/page-13-hells-kitchen-australia-host-doesnt-know-the-celebrity-contestants/news-story/31a8e241db2b763cb97bb4258e34c701|title=Hell's Kitchen Australia host doesn't know the celebrity contestants|last=Coster|first=Alice|date=24 March 2017|work=Herald Sun|archive-url=|archive-date=|accessdate=24 March 2017|url-access=subscription }}

Schultz placed 23rd in the 2020 World Quizzing Championships,{{cite web |title=Results – World Quizzing Championships |url=https://quest.quizzing.com/season/100016/quiz/100323 |access-date=12 September 2023 |website=Quizzing.com |publisher=Quizzing Interactive Ltd}} and has been the top-ranked Australian competitor ten times since 2011.{{cite web |title=Quizzing Australia - Quiz Results |url=https://www.quizzingaustralia.org/results.html |access-date=4 February 2024 |website=Quizzing Australia}}

In March 2022 he stood in for Anne Hegerty in ITV's Beat the Chasers after Hegerty tested positive for COVID-19.{{cite news |last=Rouse |first=Sabina |date=18 March 2022 |title=Anne Hegerty forced to pull out of Beat the Chasers as she announces replacement |newspaper=Express |url=https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/1582308/anne-hegerty-the-chase-beat-the-chasers-announcement-replacement-covid-twitter-news-latest |accessdate=12 September 2023}}

Schultz also competed in the twentieth series of Dancing with the Stars in early 2023. He was paired with professional Tasmanian dancer Lily Cornish.{{Cite news |last=Harris |first=Rachel |date=2023-06-14 |title=Supernerd Issa Shultz takes on DANCING WITH THE STARS |url=https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2023/06/14/supernerd-issa-shultz-takes-on-dancing-with-the-stars/ |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=TV Blackbox |language=en-AU}}{{Cite news |last=Christmass |first=Pip |date=2023-06-14 |title=Dancing With the Stars: The Chase Supernerd Issa Schultz takes to the dancefloor |url=https://7news.com.au/entertainment/dancing-with-the-stars/dancing-with-the-stars-the-chase-supernerd-issa-schultz-takes-to-the-dancefloor-c-10977052 |access-date=2023-09-12 |work=Seven News |language=en-AU}}

In November 2024 Schultz represented Australia at the III Quiz Olympiad in Spain.