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All Seasons

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

  • S04E01 Episode 1

    • July 12, 2016
    • Channel 4

    It's the demanding Maths and Memory round, featuring Mog, who entered all by himself, and Christopher, who's been in training with his dad Simon for three years.

  • S04E02 Episode 2

    • July 19, 2016
    • Channel 4

    Quizmaster Richard Osman puts the remaining 13 competitors through a general knowledge round including arts, science, history and UK rail stations.

  • S04E03 Episode 3

    • July 26, 2016
    • Channel 4

    It's the semi-final stage and quizmaster Richard Osman tests the remaining ten competitors on language, comprehension and a gruelling round of spelling.

  • S04E04 Episode 4

    • August 2, 2016
    • Channel 4

    Quizmaster Richard Osman tests the five gifted finalists in their specialist subjects. The last two standing then advance to the head to head final round as they battle for the title.

Season 2005

  • S2005E01 Child Genius

    • February 8, 2007
    • Channel 4

    At three years old, Mikhail can add in the thousands. At six, Adam is able to solve quadratic equations and is studying A-level chemistry. By five, Michael (now aged 11) was reading Shakespeare and learning Hebrew. Feats like this are staggering. But what makes such an exceptional child? Are they born this way or can parental upbringing have a significant impact on a child's development? For some, having gifted offspring is a dream come true: a promise of wealth and status. For others it's a living nightmare as they struggle to handle the repercussions of their prodigy's superpowers. What will become of these special children?

Season 2006

  • S2006E01 Episode 1

    • April 16, 2008
    • Channel 4

    The first episode of this two-part series catches up with the programme's youngest prodigies. Peter, at 11, is England's under-12s chess champion; Adam, now eight and a half, is heading off to a prestigious boarding school; and Mikhail, now five and a half, is a maths prodigy turned spelling star. And a new Child Genius is introduced: three-year-old Georgia. When Georgia was two and three-quarters, she became Britain's youngest member of Mensa. Her mother Lucy is so desperate for Georgia to get into a nearby school that she had her IQ tested to try and get her in. But will Georgia's gift win her a place?

  • S2006E02 Episode 2

    • April 23, 2008
    • Channel 4

    In the second episode of this two-part series, viewers catch up with the programme's now 13-year-old prodigies. Aimee practices piano seven days a week and her star is rising, including a win at a prestigious competition. But the pressures of high-flying mixed with teenage hormones tests her relationship with her parents. Michael is writing his fourth novel and is now home-schooled so he can pursue his academic interests in Ancient Greek, particle physics and even Anglo-Saxon. But how will he negotiate the transition from child prodigy to becoming a man? Dante and his parents have tried a string of therapists in search for answers as to why his gift is so troublesome for the family. Dante has a strong interest in neuroscience so undergoes an MRI scan to try and explain why his intelligence makes him - and his family - unhappy. And in an interesting twist, Dante and Michael have become friends: but what happens when two teenage geniuses get together? Will Dante get himself into trouble for taking a replica pistol into school after his trip to Paris?

Season 2010

  • S2010E01 Child Genius: Five Years On

    • October 25, 2010
    • Channel 4

    This edition meets an eight year old dubbed `the next Picasso', and reveals what happens when a genius child grows into a clever teenager. Child Genius introduces a new generation of gifted kids, including Kieron Williamson, an eight year old with an amazing ability to paint. The film follows Kieron and his family in the run up to his third commercial exhibition in his home village of Holt in Norfolk, where in just half an hour he sells £150,000 worth of paintings. What will his parents do with Kieron's extraordinary talent, and his unprecedented earnings? This film also catches up with chess genius Peter Williams, now 14, and piano prodigy Aimee Kwan, now 15. Are they still far ahead of their peers, and do they resent the 'genius' tag? There's nothing average about these children and their lives are a constant round of competitions and contests. But whose decision is it to put them through all this, and were these children born brilliant or are they the product of pushy parents? The children speak frankly about the mixed blessing of their talents and the opportunities as well as the heartache they can bring. Does having an extraordinary mind define them? Are they alienated from their peers or have they learnt to relate to children their own age in order to have a normal childhood? And as for the parents, is having a child labelled as gifted hugely rewarding, or do they feel pressure to support their prodigy's talents and their thirst for knowledge?

Season 2013

  • S2013E01 Episode 1

    • June 11, 2013
    • Channel 4

    Earlier this year, 21 highly gifted children aged seven to 11 were selected to take part in a competition run in association with British Mensa, to find the UK's ultimate child genius. Alongside their home lives, the series charts the progress of some of these extraordinary children through the course of the competition. There is eight-year-old Josh, a chess prodigy whose mum Hilary has a grand plan to put 10,000 hours into making him a grandmaster by the age of 13. Ten-year-old Hugo is an outspoken trainspotter who gets frustrated by those who aren't as clever as him. And there is also Shrinidhi, the current World U-12 Scrabble champion, whose passion for words and all things literary extends to her favourite treat, which is sniffing old books.

  • S2013E02 Episode 2

    • June 18, 2013
    • Channel 4

    Mild-mannered nine-year-old maths machine Oscar, who became the youngest person ever to get an A* in GCSE Maths aged seven, is a competition favourite but, away from the familiarity of maths, how will he fare in the unknown territory of this week's general knowledge round? Eleven-year-old Seyonne is one of seven from a family of high achievers, whose mum Maria expects her daughter to make the best of her education - something she herself failed to do. Meanwhile, 10-year-old engineering enthusiast Hugo believes he has enough raw intelligence to breeze through this week's competition, but his confident personality is starting to upset some of his rivals. Eleven-year-old Leonard Ravi Shankar Buckley has the vocabulary of an 18-year-old, but his tendency for theatrics often means he loses focus at the crucial moment. And human abacus Rosa Maria may be faster than a calculator at maths, but with her study regime in tatters on the big day will she be able to overcome her nerves?

  • S2013E03 Episode 3

    • June 25, 2013
    • Channel 4

    It's the Spelling Bee round in the child genius competition. Has rebellious Hugo's lack of effort finally caught him out? Will human dictionary Ben's love of long words help him sail through, or has he met his match with Scrabble champion Shrinidhi? Aged nine, Connor is the youngest contender still in the competition. Despite intending to take his maths GCSE while still in primary school, he's less confident when faced with mind-boggling spellings such as triskaidekaphobia, extemporaneous or even ovoviviparous! But single mum Sarah is determined to get him through. Sibling rivals Catherine and Matthew entered the competition together, but with Matthew a surprise exit in the first round, it's big sister Catherine's chance to show her mum she's just as bright as her brother. And 10-year old Longyin is on a school trip to Dartmoor, but will his first time away from dad Terence affect his meticulously planned study schedule and ruin his success in the competition?

  • S2013E04 Episode 4

    • July 2, 2013
    • Channel 4

    The final six go head to head in a debating contest, hoping to make it through to the last quick-fire round and the chance to be crowned Child Genius of the Year 2013. Eleven-year-old author and world Scrabble champion Shrinidhi may have mastered the written word, but the spoken word fills her with fear. Will a meeting with her biggest idol, Countdown's Susie Dent, help her confidence? Can maths prodigy Oscar, who got an A* in his GCSE aged seven, find an algorithm that helps win arguments? With his photographic memory, nine-year-old Connor has reached the final with ease. But winning a debate requires him to think on his feet, a skill which doesn't come naturally. Connor's taking on nine-year-old Lara, who has an IQ higher than Einstein. While Rohan's parents believe a triumph in the debate could help win a coveted scholarship to Harrow.

Season 2014

  • S2014E01 Episode 1

    • July 21, 2014
    • Channel 4

    Nine-year-old Aliyah's psychologist parents have devised a special training regime to give their daughter optimum brain power, deploying everything from juicing to alternative therapies. Eleven-year-old Rubaiyat already has an A* at Maths GCSE, but is hoping the competition will help him add another feather to his cap. Eight-year-old Tudor's perfectionism and his parents' expectations make him a determined contender. Will the competition challenge piano prodigy Curtis, who has already completed the first year of a university degree, at just nine? There's also eight-year-old Jocelyn, who has one of the highest IQs in the competition, but has not been to school for more than half a day.

  • S2014E02 Episode 2

    • July 28, 2014
    • Channel 4

    Only 15 of the gifted youngsters remain. They face two gruelling rounds: Logic and Reasoning and Memory Recall - where they have just one hour to commit 104 randomly shuffled playing cards to memory. Eleven-year-old Eleanor is an avid reader who entered the competition without her parents' knowledge and her mum Catherine worries about the pressure her daughter is under. How will the latest rounds test sibling rivals Tudor and Hazelle? Do nine-year-old Aliyah's psychologist parents still have the winning formula? And can can musical prodigy Curtis handle the pressure of his mum's PR campaign to promote his genius?

  • S2014E03 Episode 3

    • August 4, 2014
    • Channel 4

    It's the penultimate stage of the competition, and the stakes are high as the ten do battle for the six places in the final. They face two challenging rounds: Spelling, a gruelling test of some of the hardest words in the English language; and General Knowledge, where they must answer questions on a vast range of topics from astronomy to geography. Eleven-year old Sophie is an A-star student from Essex, whose dinner lady mum takes a relaxed approach to her child's brilliance. Cuneyd is a 12-year-old science prodigy from London who was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome when he six. Can 11-year-old Eleanor hold it together long enough to get through to the final, and will eight-year-old Tudor's many hours of supervised preparation be enough to guarantee him a place?

  • S2014E04 Episode 4

    • August 10, 2014
    • Channel 4

    It's the final and just six of some of the UK's most gifted youngsters remain. Eleven-year-old Rubaiyat's chosen subject is particle physics. Chess champion Sharon has chosen the Battle of Stamford Bridge. History enthusiast Eleanor has chosen Queen Victoria's childhood. Tudor has taken on the alkaline metals of the periodic table. Also taking part is Rayyan, who is only seven, and ten-year-old Ria, whose mother Manju has been prepping her all the way.

Season 2015

  • S2015E01 Episode 1

    • June 30, 2015
    • Channel 4

    It's the General Knowledge and Memory Recall rounds, and some of the kids face elimination.

  • S2015E02 Episode 2

    • July 7, 2015
    • Channel 4

    The latest rounds are maths and extraordinary memory, with Mika desperate to win.

  • S2015E03 Episode 3

    • July 14, 2015
    • Channel 4

    The two rounds this time are a comprehension and extreme spelling test.

  • S2015E04 Episode 4

    • July 21, 2015
    • Channel 4

    It's the semi-final, and this round's tests are on logic and reasoning, and a complex memory test on human anatomy. Only five children can proceed to the final round.

  • S2015E05 Episode 5

    • July 28, 2015
    • Channel 4

    It's the Child Genius final and the remaining five gifted youngsters take on the specialist subject round, including the curvature of space time and a history of cryptography.

Season 2016

  • S2016E01 Episode 1

    • July 12, 2016
    • Channel 4

    It's the demanding Maths and Memory round, featuring Mog, who entered all by himself, and Christopher, who's been in training with his dad Simon for three years.

  • S2016E02 Episode 2

    • July 19, 2016
    • Channel 4

    Quizmaster Richard Osman puts the remaining 13 competitors through a general knowledge round including arts, science, history and UK rail stations.

  • S2016E03 Episode 3

    • July 26, 2016
    • Channel 4

    It's the semi-final stage and quizmaster Richard Osman tests the remaining ten competitors on language, comprehension and a gruelling round of spelling.

  • S2016E04 Episode 4

    • August 2, 2016
    • Channel 4

    Quizmaster Richard Osman tests the five gifted finalists in their specialist subjects. The last two standing then advance to the head to head final round as they battle for the title.

Season 2017

  • S2017E01 Episode 1

    • August 14, 2017
    • Channel 4

    The new contest begins with the demanding Spelling round and the complex Linguistic Memory round - testing the kids with the scientific names of 60 fruit and vegetables

  • S2017E02 Episode 2

    • August 15, 2017
    • Channel 4

    It's day two of the week-long competition as the kids face a testing Maths round and also a complex Memory challenge featuring a London bus map.

  • S2017E03 Episode 3

    • August 16, 2017
    • Channel 4

    The remaining 13 kids face two challenging History rounds, including Ancient Greece to the modern day, and the British royal family

  • S2017E04 Episode 4

    • August 17, 2017
    • Channel 4

    It's the quarter-final in this week-long competition to find Britain's brightest child and quizmaster Richard Osman tests the remaining 11 kids on Science and Memory

  • S2017E05 Episode 5

    • August 18, 2017
    • Channel 4

    It's the semi-final in this week-long competition and the eight remaining competitors face two of the toughest rounds yet with Advanced Language and a sudden-death Spelling test

  • S2017E06 Episode 6

    • August 19, 2017
    • Channel 4

    The five finalists face two demanding rounds, including a quick-fire buzzer session, as they bid to be crowned Child Genius of 2017

Season 2019

  • S2019E01 Episode 1

    • February 25, 2019
    • Channel 4

    It's day one, round one of the competition, and the children display a phenomenal array of linguistic skills, tasked with spelling some of the most complicated words in the English dictionary. For round two, they must master Old English, a language so difficult it's normally learnt only by academics. As the competitors take to the podium, it's their first taste of performing live in front of the Child Genius audience. The heat is on as the children vie to avoid elimination.

  • S2019E02 Episode 2

    • February 26, 2019
    • Channel 4

    Today it's all about maths, as the competitors demonstrate extraordinary feats of written and mental arithmetic. There's additional twist to the first round of the day, as the competitor with the highest score will get a fast pass straight through to day 3, avoiding the day's challenging second round. The remaining 15 will have to take on one of the most complex recall rounds yet - memorising information relating to companies, sectors and share prices from FTSE 100 companies, as well as having to do complex calculations with the data.

  • S2019E03 Episode 3

    • February 27, 2019
    • Channel 4

    For the third day of Child Genius the 14 remaining competitors take on geography. With questions in the morning round covering 4.5 billion years of our planet's history, the nerves are really kicking in. And the stakes couldn't be higher as the competitor with the lowest score will face immediate elimination. In the afternoon the remaining competitors take on a challenging memory round in which they must memorise a sequence from a pack of 100 randomly shuffled cards, each with an image of a different world flag. At the end of that round, a further two competitors will be knocked out.

  • S2019E04 Episode 4

    • February 28, 2019
    • Channel 4

    The quarter-final of the Child Genius competition. The remaining 11 children have seen off some seriously tough competition to get his far, but things get even more challenging as they compete for a place in the semi-final. Today it's science. In the morning the competitors must demonstrate an extraordinary range of knowledge about some of the world's most complex scientific principles.

  • S2019E05 Episode 5

    • March 1, 2019
    • Channel 4

    The semi-final of the Child Genius competition. Nearly half of the eight remaining competitors will be knocked out today, as only five can make it through to tomorrow's final. To make matters worse, illness threatens to derail one competitor and nerves nearly send another crashing out. Quizmaster extraordinaire Richard Osman presides over today's gruelling language rounds. In the first round, the competitors face fiendishly difficult definitions and anagrams, as their understanding of the English language is stretched to its limit. In the afternoon it's sudden death spelling, where one false move could send even the morning's top scorer home.

  • S2019E06 Episode 6

    • March 2, 2019
    • Channel 4

    The child geniuses tackle their specialist rounds, including epidemiology and cryptoanalysis. The last two then go head to head in a quick-fire round. Who will claim the trophy?

Additional Specials

  • SPECIAL 0x1 SU2C Special

    • October 16, 2016
    • Channel 4

    Richard Osman pits four Child Geniuses against Alan Carr, Rachel Riley, Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Aisling Bea in a series of mental challenges for Stand Up To Cancer.

  • SPECIAL 0x2 Child Genius v Celebrities Christmas Special

    • December 24, 2017
    • Channel 4

    Richard Osman presents a Child Genius festive special as four of the show's most formidable past competitors take on four of the country's finest celebrity minds, in a test to see who has the brightest brains this Christmas. The celebrity team captain is comedian and actor Rob Delaney. Rob's joined by Channel 4 News presenter Cathy Newman, comedian Dom Joly, and journalist and broadcaster Janet Street-Porter. The Child Genius team features Rhea, the show's youngest ever winner; Mog, from Warwickshire, who has amazed in the past with his outstanding memory; mathematical whizz-kid Christopher; and nine-year-old Fabio, who has a passion for science. The tests includes spelling, maths and general knowledge. Only one team can be crowned Christmas champions - can the celebrities take on the Child Geniuses and win?

  • SPECIAL 0x3 Child Genius v Celebrities Christmas Special 2018

    • December 24, 2018
    • Channel 4

    Quizmaster extraordinaire Richard Osman presents a festive treat as he presides over this special Christmas edition of Child Genius. Four celebrities go up against four of the most formidably talented competitors in Child Genius history, as the teams bid to prove who is the brightest. Stretching their intellects and powers of concentration to the max, can Comedian Jimmy Carr, TV presenter and author Rick Edwards, newsreader Charlotte Hawkins, and comedian Shazia Mirza take on the Child Geniuses and actually win? The Child Genius team is 14-year-old multi-linguist Mog; 14-year-old maths prodigy David, who thrashed Countdown's maths queen Rachel Riley in a maths-off when he was just 12; maths whizz Aliyah, who is just 12 years old and thinks celebrities' brains 'are a bit slow'; and team captain and last year's Child Genius winner, 13-year-old Rahul - who has an IQ higher than Einstein's.

  • SPECIAL 0x4 Child Genius v Celebrities Christmas Special 2019

    • December 24, 2019
    • Channel 4

    Jimmy Carr, Jo Brand, Richard Bacon and radio host Vick Hope take on four of the most formidable competitors in the history of Child Genius to see who's brightest.