Child Genius

12 June 2013

Episode 1/4, Tuesday 11th June, 9pm, Channel 4

This 4-part documentary series follows the lives of some of the country’s cleverest children and their families. Most with IQs in the top 0.1% of the population, growing up gifted can have its challenges. But behind many a Child Genius, there’s often a determined parent, and this series reveals the different approaches to parenting a child whose intelligence is off the scale.

Earlier this year, twenty one highly gifted children aged 7 to 11 were selected to take part in a competition run in association with high IQ society British Mensa, to find the UK’s ultimate Child Genius. 

Alongside their home lives, we chart the progress of some of these children through the course of the competition.  Across four gruelling weekly rounds they are tested on every aspect of intelligence from maths to spelling, general knowledge to memory and debating. After each round, five children leave the competition until one is crowned Child Genius of the Year

This week, the first round is Maths and we meet:

Wise-cracking Hugo, an engineering enthusiast, who is an avid train-spotter and who has already designed the aircraft he intends to manufacture when he’s older. Hugo’s long-suffering parents are conflicted about his genius and are desperate to broaden his horizons beyond the world of planes and trains. But does he want to be the ‘normal’ child they want him to be?  

With mum Hilary leading the way, eight year old Joshua is ranked number 5 in the world in his age group Mum Hilary believes that 10 000 hours of practice will make him a Chess Grandmaster before his 13th birthday – and with 50 hours of preparation a week, Josh is on track – but how will Josh fare away from his chess board?

Shrinidhi, the current Under 12 World Scrabble champion, who has already written four novels. Her passion for words and all things literary extends to her favourite indulgence – sniffing old books.  Her parents moved to the UK 3 years ago to help nurture her passion for the English language. But whilst Shrinidhi considers books as her friends, her mother Suja has entered her daughter into the competition so she can make real friends who share her interests.

Leo Ravi Shankar has the vocabulary of an eighteen year old.  Leo’s Mum Penny embraces his tendency for dramatics, but Dad Martin is also keen to enforce strict boundaries. First up in the competition, how will Leo cope in this week’s maths round?

Longyin, is a Piano prodigy, who topped the tree in our intelligence tests. Dad Terence is a former Hong Kong Police officer who runs a very disciplined regime at home with his son. He believes he has the formula to make every child successful. Will Longyin and his dad Terence’s formula withstand the pressure of the competition?

Exec Producer Mark Saben

Series Producer Simon Draper

Directors: Tanya Freedman Chris McLaughlin, Wes Pollitt, Mark North.

Production Company: Wall to Wall