Channel 4 announces Hidden Talent

2 March 2012

Members of the public are to realise their previously unknown potential as part of a new ad-funded six-part Specialist Factual series on Channel 4.

Each week people with no prior experience will embark on a journey to take their newly discovered Hidden Talent to its limit. Eight participants will discover if they can go from being a total novice to a top class performer in record time.

From rigorous large-scale testing of hundreds of people from all around the country, overseen by scientists and academics, a number of people are found to have special physical, mental, sensory or creative talents - of which they were totally unaware. The Hidden Talent experts then take them on, training and developing them to face extraordinary challenges, which transform their understanding of their own abilities and could change the rest of their lives.

Presenter Richard Bacon follows the progress of each one - uncovering the amazing science which enables these individuals to achieve what others can only dream of, and looking at the real world application of these abilities. These talents range from latent linguistic skills that allow an individual to become fluent in a foreign language in just a few months, to the mammalian diving reflex enabling some people to hold their breath for upwards of four minutes and dive to a depth of 60 metres without scuba gear, or even an extraordinary sense of direction enabling someone to become a Human Sat-Nav, capable of finding their way through an uncharted wilderness.

The tests carried out on potential contributors are designed to assess aptitude rather than skills or knowledge, so viewers can also take part through specially designed interactive tests on www.channel4.com/hiddentalent. Mirroring those in the series, these absorbing and fun challenges are devised in consultation with the series' experts and give viewers the opportunity to uncover their own Hidden Talent - ranging from memory games and humming tasks to being a human metronome.

Special Factual Commissioning Editor, Jill Fullerton-Smith said: ‘Applying expert knowledge to the concept of hidden talent, this thought-provoking and exciting multi-platform series will show just how remarkable we are as human beings - in an innovative way.  It will reveal what we are really capable of, and for both the individuals in the series and audiences taking part, maybe even change lives.'

The 6 x 60mins series is made by Silver River for Channel 4, with co-funding from American Express.

Lisa Gervis, Vice-President Brand & Customer Management at American Express, said: ‘It has been an incredible journey to work with Silver River and Channel 4 to bring the concept of ‘Hidden Talent' to life in a highly engaging format through the online tests. It provides us with a great opportunity to reflect the current American Express brand campaign, Realise the Potential, which has been designed to celebrate the belief that life is richer and more rewarding when untapped possibilities are explored.'

The series producer is Spencer Kelly. Silver River CEO Daisy Goodwin says: ‘This is the show for anyone who has ever thought they must good at something. We are finding people with amazing aptitudes they knew nothing about - one person said it was like discovering you had a superpower. This is one of the most inspirational shows I have ever worked on and I guarantee that everyone watching will want to take the tests themselves. In business terms it has been a fascinating journey - creating a co-funded prime-time show for Channel 4. It's a new world for me as a producer but a fascinating one.'

Hidden Talent, inspired by American Express, will air in the spring on Channel 4.

 

Notes to editors:

The partnership was brokered by Mindshare Worldwide and FremantleMedia Enterprises, project managed by Mindshare Worldwide, with marketing support from Ogilvy Group UK, Neo@Ogilvy and MHP communications.