Review: Secret Genius, Channel 4, three stars
When it was reported that Alan Carr was currently fronting eight shows, my first thought was, “Is that all?” Since his victory in The Celebrity Traitors, television cannot get enough of the genial Mr Carr.
Programme number nine is Secret Genius, a competition aiming to highlight some of the estimated 1 million “undiscovered geniuses” across the UK.
Each week, 12 people take on tests devised by Mensa, described as “the world’s smartest people”. The dozen have been nominated by friends, family and themselves, so it’s a self-selecting group, but the tests are real enough. The opening heat covered the north west and Northern Ireland. Episode two, on Monday night, features Scotland and the north east.
The first group ranged from a hotel receptionist and a dance teacher to a single mum working in an ambulance call centre. The latter, Ollie, said of her impressive recall skills, “I seem to be able to pull things out of my **** from nowhere.”
She also described herself as “really common”, to which Carr replied, “So am I!” It's hard to imagine Carr not getting on with anyone. For that, television will pay big bucks, especially if you can make ‘em laugh at the same time.
While the contestants tackled the tests, Carr and his co-host, Susie Dent of Countdown fame, watched from another room, like the judges on Channel 4’s The Piano.
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The first test was relatively simple - find the missing letter in a list of months - but became trickier from there. The programme makers have said they want viewers to play along, but there’s barely a chance to get involved before it is on to the next contestant. Got to keep things moving.
This being a competition, there has to be an element of jeopardy and personal stories shared. The most illuminating chats took place between contestants and were about unhappy experiences at school.
The casting team had done their job well, if a little obviously, but it makes a big difference, as does making the tests understandable. Contrast the keep-it-simple approach of Secret Genius with David Tennant’s hopelessly convoluted Genius Game of last year.
One by one, the contestants were sent home for not being fast enough or getting the test wrong. But no one was made to feel a failure and there were no snide comments. Unless I missed it, there was also no mention of a grand prize at the end of the competition. How civilised.
There are only so many things you can do to make a show like this exciting: it’s like trying to sex up Bake Off or Sewing Bee. Like those shows and Countdown, Secret Genius belongs in that category of “nice” competitions where the presenters are supportive and the vibe warm and encouraging.
Secret Genius is not going to be the next mega-ratings Bake Off, but it passes pleasantly enough and Carr and Dent make a winning pair. For now, having Carr on board is the real genius move.
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