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00:04Susie! Susie! Oh, I love Oxford. It's one of the brainiest places in Britain and I've embraced my
00:11imposter syndrome. I've got myself a gown, got myself a hat and got myself a top knot.
00:16Thing is Alan, they don't give out honorary degrees for dressing up and today isn't really about you.
00:23Listen, I get it. It's not about me. It's about our final four taking on the brainiest challenge
00:29yet. Yes, they are about to solve something that very few people can, including you most likely.
00:36This year, our search for Britain's first ever secret genius began. A lot of people call me
00:44Sherlock. If there is something to solve, I need to solve it. I'm ready to find out who I am
00:50when
00:50I'm not the waitress and mother. 48 ordinary people from across the UK. I work on an ambulance crew.
00:58Superman took on a series of mind-stretching games designed with Mensa to test their raw
01:06intelligence. The top performing three players from the four heats came to the finals at Oxford
01:16University. Who thinks they're out the dead? Oh, definitely. I wasn't nervous. Now I am.
01:2112 became eight. Poo. Oh, what an idiot. And after a brutal head-to-head. Oh, okay. Oh, Justin. Now
01:32just four remain. Wow. That's incredible. He only looked at the table once. Yeah. Today's games. Oh, good God. Will
01:39be the most demanding yet. Everything is riding on this. Let me think, let me think, let me think. Oh,
01:44my God. Jeez, I was slow. Ah. This is so frustrating. You missed the final rule.
01:50Let's do or die. Because only one of them can be crowned. The winner of Secret Genius is...
02:07I don't think I ever thought I'd get this far. And the fact I've managed to make it through to
02:11this final four is really massive.
02:16If I had to pick the strongest, I think I would say Amy. She's the biggest threat in my mind.
02:21But not taking anything away from the other two.
02:24Today, our hunt to discover Britain's biggest brain will reach its denouement, which Susie Dent has just informed me means
02:32the end. Oh, no.
02:34Being in the final four is a huge, huge privilege. I'm up against some really tough people. I know Selena
02:39is absolutely fantastic. Nathan is quite a dark horse.
02:43So, yeah, I'm just going to trust my gut and either smash it out of the park or get completely
02:49destroyed.
02:49At Oxford University, the birthplace of Mensa, two epic games stand between the final four players and winning the title
02:58of the UK's first secret genius.
03:01Oh, my God. There we go. Final four.
03:04I'll squeeze in. How's everyone feeling? Are you feeling a bit of pressure? I am.
03:08Yeah. As much as I want to win it for myself, now I've got, like, all the family, like, backing
03:14and excited about it.
03:15Like, I'm just as much here for them now as myself.
03:18I did not expect to go this far. I think I was worried that I'd be walking into a room
03:24full of people and be all absolute brain boxes and, you know,
03:28Oh, can you name your favourite polymer? And I'd be like, how? No, I can't. Can't you?
03:33What is your favourite polymer?
03:35Propane.
03:35I did.
03:37Hi, guys.
03:39Hi.
03:40Look at you, the final four. The sharpest minds at the sharp end of the competition.
03:45Are you nervous? Do you think you can win it?
03:47All of the above.
03:48Yeah, tips for everything.
03:50We've got a secret genius to crown. So, let's welcome Miss Susie Daines.
03:57Hello. Well done, all of you.
04:00So, I've got some good news and some bad news.
04:03Good news is just two challenges.
04:07Bad news is we have raised the difficulty of those challenges to a whole new level.
04:13Yes. She's not kidding, and I did make a point of checking the Geneva Convention, and they do just fall
04:19the right side of torture.
04:21Just.
04:23But I'm afraid only two of you will make it through to the final game.
04:27Ooh.
04:30So, all I know now is it's harder. I know when I step back in front of the next instructions
04:34and button, I'll be complete wreck.
04:36So, clear those heads, stay logical, stay focused, and I will see you on the other side.
04:41And when she says the other side, she means the games room, not hell.
04:46Okay?
04:48Good luck.
04:51Wow.
04:52I feel like I'm riding that sweet spot now before hysteria hits.
04:56If I can just keep myself here, then there.
04:57We could all topple up.
04:59I'm sorry, guys, you know.
05:01Are we going down? Is that what you're saying?
05:02You're going down.
05:07Right, here we go. Our final four.
05:09I just hope they don't let the pressure get to them.
05:12First up, Amy.
05:14Well, good luck.
05:15Come on, Amy.
05:16Smash it out of the park, mate. You'll be fine.
05:18Yes.
05:18Well, this composition, even just getting here, it's shown me that I'm worth something, I guess.
05:27See you on the other side.
05:28One, two, three, four consonants, 28.
05:31Isn't it amazing when you see it just click?
05:34In the quickfire round, Amy pushed her nerves aside and showed razor-sharp logic.
05:40It's 126 miles of genius district.
05:43It is 126.
05:44Well done, Amy.
05:45Well done.
05:47School wasn't the easiest.
05:49Being held up as clever, I got a lot of flack for that.
05:54So it was just easier for me to put on a mask each day.
05:57You don't realise what you're dumbing down until suddenly you don't have to.
06:07Using the rules provided, rearrange the geniuses' names so that they sit on their correct squares.
06:13Once correct, the floor will turn green.
06:15You must turn around to receive your next instruction.
06:18So shall I tell you how this works?
06:20Please do.
06:21This is the genius hall of fame, and it's our most fiendish game yet.
06:26In the first part of this challenge, they have to follow an intertwined and quite complicated set of rules on
06:31the board
06:32to work out which genius belongs in which square.
06:35And no one rule stands alone.
06:38They all work together like a really complex puzzle.
06:41Turing must be in an orange or pink square.
06:44He is east of Einstein and diagonal to Curie.
06:47This is a logic puzzle.
06:49Oh my god, they could have made this game for me.
06:51Processing all seven rules and working out the correct placements
06:54will take exceptional brain power.
06:57So they have to juggle all that in their heads?
07:00Yep.
07:01I can't even juggle one ball.
07:04Right, OK, focus.
07:06Don't get overconfident.
07:07My strategy is let's just do one clue at a time,
07:10put them in a logical spot,
07:12and move what I can logically think needs moving.
07:15So he can't be that pink, because he's got to be east.
07:17This is also a race against the clock.
07:20They have 15 minutes, so this is high-speed deductive reasoning.
07:25So let's stick him over there for now.
07:26Let's just play with this.
07:28We are really going to test how quickly their brains work to the limit.
07:33Curie must be in yellow or green.
07:35She is west of Turing
07:37and must be in the second column from the east.
07:40So east, that's the first column.
07:41That's the second column.
07:42So she's in here.
07:44She's yellow or green, so she's there.
07:46And west of Turing,
07:47which kind of justifies the Turings over here.
07:50Ah, she spotted that Marie Curie
07:52has to go in the second column from the right.
07:54That is a crucial anchor point for the other clues.
07:58Newton must be in green or blue.
08:00He is diagonal to Einstein,
08:02not in the same column as a woman.
08:04That rules him out of here.
08:06Green or blue, there's no green or blue here.
08:08So he's over here
08:10and diagonal to Einstein.
08:13OK, so let's just stick him in a thing for a second.
08:16Newton,
08:18green or blue.
08:19Let's stick you there.
08:21Shakespeare must be in a blue square.
08:23Same row as Newton.
08:25Right, so Newton isn't here because there's no blue square,
08:28so let's stick you there then,
08:29just for argument's sake.
08:31This is a bit like chess, but really, really hard.
08:34So actually, just like chess.
08:38Nightingale must not be in an orange square.
08:40She is in a row of men.
08:43Einstein must be in a green square.
08:45He's the only one in his row.
08:49And there must be one row that is completely empty.
08:52This is phenomenal, Alan.
08:53She is already placed five geniuses correctly,
08:56and she's only three minutes in.
08:58So she's just Miss Turing,
09:00the other famous Alan,
09:01me and Titchmarsh, obviously.
09:04It hasn't gone green,
09:05so that's not right.
09:06At the end,
09:07if they have placed all the geniuses correctly,
09:10the floor will turn green.
09:11Ah, OK.
09:13Right, Turing must be orange or pink square.
09:17Maybe he's here then,
09:18or maybe that's the only thing I've got wrong.
09:24Oh.
09:24Hearts.
09:26Wow.
09:29Right, this second game is an anagram,
09:32and once they solve it,
09:33it'll point to one of the geniuses
09:35that they've just placed on the grid.
09:37Solve the anagrams.
09:38Oh, good God.
09:39To lock in your answer,
09:40stand next to the correct genius,
09:41then say my final answer is,
09:42and give the name of the genius,
09:43press stop.
09:44Button to finish.
09:45I can see it's a sentence.
09:46Well, that helps.
09:47The answer is
09:49west of Turing,
09:53south of Curie,
09:55and
09:56east of Newton.
09:59It's like it's not even an anagram.
10:01That's amazing.
10:02That's so impressive.
10:03West of Turing,
10:04east of Newton,
10:05south of Curie,
10:06my final answer is
10:07William Shakespeare.
10:12Yes.
10:14Happy days.
10:15She's done it
10:16in less than a third of the time.
10:184.57.
10:20That's amazing.
10:25Oh!
10:30I couldn't have done any better.
10:32I've got to just be happy with that.
10:34If I go out,
10:34then, my God,
10:36I'm up against the Flash,
10:37and I'll shake her hand.
10:41Right now,
10:42I feel like I can win this whole thing.
10:44Bring it on.
10:48It's been lovely
10:50to hang out with people
10:51who are able to do similar things to you.
10:53It was nice not to be, like,
10:55the minority in the room.
10:56You know,
10:57it's just the norm.
10:58Not to be the freak.
10:58Other than being the one that stood out,
11:00they're the freak.
11:01We were all freaks together.
11:02Yeah.
11:02Next to tackle Genius Hall of Fame
11:04is 44-year-old Selena.
11:07Selena.
11:08I'm constantly underestimated.
11:10The first time a lot of people see me
11:12is as a waitress.
11:14Selena!
11:15Oh, good luck, mate.
11:17I do have this other person
11:19inside me
11:20that people don't fully know.
11:22Oh, I thought it was going to be harder
11:24to work out.
11:24I guess it's there.
11:25I feel like Selena
11:26is the quietest acid.
11:28Super bright,
11:28super sharp.
11:29She's very good.
11:30In the first game of the finals,
11:33Selena was the top-performing player,
11:35solving both quickfire games
11:37in the fastest time.
11:38Yes!
11:39Well done, Selena.
11:40Selena!
11:43I've surprised myself
11:44all along the way.
11:45There's been this little voice
11:46inside me saying,
11:47like, you can't do it,
11:48you can't do it.
11:49And it's changed to a voice
11:50saying, you can do it.
11:52The whole process
11:53has given me that confidence.
11:54I'll be quite happy
11:55to go home and show my sons.
11:58I'm not that stupid, actually,
11:59you know?
12:06Using the rules provided,
12:08rearrange the geniuses' names
12:09so they sit on their correct squares.
12:11Once correct,
12:11the floor will turn green.
12:13You must turn around
12:14to receive your next
12:15instruction.
12:16She has got her work cut out
12:18to solve this as quickly as Amy.
12:20Turing must be an orange or pink.
12:23East of Einstein,
12:24diagonal to Curie.
12:25Curie must be second column
12:26from the east.
12:26Okay, so Curie's
12:29going to be
12:30in this one
12:32somewhere.
12:33What's she doing here?
12:36It's like she's using them
12:37as placeholders,
12:38I think, at the moment.
12:40I wait Curie's west of Turing.
12:43I know there's some
12:44very speedy players,
12:46so I'm being a bit slower
12:47than I would like
12:48to be at this point.
12:49I'm thinking,
12:49don't panic,
12:50don't let that get to you.
12:51Got to be an orange or pink.
12:53Let's just go with...
12:54So it's this one
12:56or this one
12:57and this one
12:58or this one.
13:09I think she's a bit confused.
13:11That's not like Selena, is it?
13:13She's not as confident
13:13as she normally is.
13:14No.
13:15This is high pressure,
13:16let's face it.
13:17Hold on a second.
13:19Is it Newton Green
13:20or Blue Square?
13:21Got to be in the same row as...
13:23Oh, I should have started
13:24with this.
13:25Never mind.
13:26I think I should have read
13:27all of the rules first
13:29and then started
13:30to move pieces around.
13:31It's a bit like
13:32when you get, like,
13:32homework at school
13:33and the final rule
13:34is the most important one.
13:36If this was a piece of paper,
13:37it'd be so much easier.
13:39She's trying lots of combinations
13:40and keeps not getting there,
13:41so I think her frustration
13:43is just mounting here.
13:45Oh, fuck.
13:46I'm standing at the front
13:47of all the pieces
13:49thinking all these rules are right,
13:50there's just one rule
13:51that I haven't got right.
13:52Nightingale,
13:52she's in a row of men.
13:55She's taking her time,
13:56isn't she?
14:02That's it!
14:04Oh, thank God.
14:05Jeez, that was slow.
14:06She finally completes it
14:07at 9.45.
14:09Right, it's time for the anagrams.
14:10Right, okay.
14:11It's all the anagrams
14:12to decipher the clue.
14:13I'm like, thank God.
14:15My brain always just shows me anagrams.
14:17It's my favourite thing.
14:18The answer is west of Turing,
14:22south of Curie.
14:24Wow.
14:25Another one who unscrambles it effortlessly.
14:29And east of Newton,
14:31my answer's William Shakespeare.
14:37I thought I was a bit slow
14:38in the first part.
14:39I think it probably
14:40could have gone better,
14:41but just see how the others do.
14:43That was 10 minutes, 32,
14:45but that's more than
14:46five minutes slower than Amy.
14:48It's a big question.
14:49Has she done enough
14:51to get into the top two?
14:52Honestly, Alan, I'm not sure.
14:55Oh, fuck.
15:06So do you think
15:06there's such thing
15:07as like a brain food?
15:09I get all of like
15:09the olive oil from Greece
15:10and like all the oily fish.
15:12Yeah.
15:14In the heart of Oxford University,
15:16four players remain,
15:18all vying to be crowned
15:20Britain's first secret genius.
15:23Do you feel like you eat
15:25healthily for your brain or?
15:27I don't.
15:27I eat like crap.
15:28Do you eat like a student?
15:29I do.
15:30I eat like a student.
15:32I now live in Leeds.
15:34I moved for work.
15:35I would probably say
15:36I'm living the bachelor lifestyle
15:37at the moment.
15:38I tend to buy a lot of ready meals.
15:40It's quite bad,
15:41but I'm the sort of person
15:42where, you know,
15:43if I tried to make toast,
15:45I'd burn my kitchen down.
15:47People, particularly people
15:48who I've had
15:49kind of more romantic relationships with,
15:52frequently say
15:53I've never met anyone like you
15:56and I've kind of accepted
15:57that I might have
15:59a more difficult time
16:00finding people
16:01who really gel with me.
16:03People like to pick on things
16:04that are different
16:05because they stand out.
16:08You didn't like change your diet
16:09leading up to this?
16:10No.
16:10Like at all?
16:11No, no.
16:11I just did the same as usual,
16:13but I guess my thinking is
16:14it's worked for me so far.
16:15But who knows,
16:16maybe I'm holding myself back
16:17from super ultra mega genius level
16:21and I could, you know,
16:22learn to move objects with my brain
16:24if I just ate some more fish
16:26or something.
16:28Nathan's like Usain Bolt.
16:30To earn his place
16:31in the top four,
16:32Nathan has blazed
16:33through the competition
16:34with his lightning fast
16:35processing speed.
16:37Wow.
16:38And extraordinary memory.
16:40That's incredible.
16:41He only looked
16:42at the table once.
16:45It hasn't been
16:46without difficulty
16:48to be different.
16:49School is the biggest example.
16:51When I was younger,
16:52I just wanted
16:53to be like everyone else.
16:54But I found myself
16:56kind of
16:58questioning
16:58a lot of things.
17:00People don't like
17:01to be challenged
17:01and that means
17:03you get pushed out.
17:04No one's better
17:05at doing that
17:06than bullies.
17:08What have you gained?
17:10Because we're all winners,
17:11we've all gained something
17:12at this point.
17:12The hard evidence
17:14to back myself in future
17:15and say actually,
17:16you know what?
17:17You doubting me.
17:19I did that.
17:20Yeah.
17:20So shut up.
17:21Yeah.
17:22It's always quite intimidating
17:23to be
17:25truly authentic.
17:27I think
17:28this process
17:30will help me
17:31in that understanding
17:33of who I am
17:35and the confidence
17:36that will give me
17:37would help me
17:38be myself.
17:42Nathan.
17:44The last two players
17:45to take on
17:46Genius Hall of Fame
17:48are civil servant Nathan
17:49and prison chaplain Nick.
17:52A common phrase
17:54in much of my life
17:55has been
17:56people telling me
17:57that I haven't quite
17:58reached my full potential.
17:59But Mum and Dad
18:01when he was alive
18:02were always
18:03very, very encouraging of me.
18:05I think winning anything
18:06is very humbling
18:08and very exciting.
18:09There's a little bit
18:10of wanting to prove myself,
18:12I guess,
18:12but I think there's probably
18:13a big part of it
18:14for proving it to myself
18:15as well.
18:22Here we go, Susie,
18:23the final two players.
18:25Oh, God,
18:26I haven't felt
18:26this gut-wrench intention
18:27since I wore
18:28me first pair of Spanx.
18:37This game will decide
18:39which two
18:40will make it through
18:41to the final round.
18:42Looks like it's going
18:43to be logic.
18:44I'm kind of excited
18:45because I like logic games.
18:47They're my favourite
18:47kind of puzzle to work out
18:48because there's
18:48a definite answer.
18:49Once correct,
18:50the floor will turn green.
18:53This is something
18:54that I know I can do.
18:55The biggest pressure
18:56for me is going
18:57to be the time.
18:58So I think
18:59I best get moving.
19:00Einstein, green square.
19:02Let's just get him
19:03on there for a start.
19:04Shakespeare must be
19:05in a blue square.
19:06Where's Shakespeare?
19:08Let's just get them on.
19:09Probably not going
19:09to be right,
19:10but give myself a chance.
19:12Just hearing that
19:12slightly ragged breathing
19:14there, I got my first hint
19:15of Nathan being quite nervous,
19:16which is not like him.
19:18No.
19:21Einstein must be
19:22on a green square.
19:24He's the only one in a row.
19:25Let's try him there.
19:28Hmm, okay.
19:29So that was quite random,
19:30but his first move
19:31is actually correct.
19:33Shakespeare must be
19:34in a blue square.
19:34He's in the same row
19:35as Newton.
19:36I'm quite happy
19:37doing it by a little bit
19:39of trial and error.
19:40I just want to be methodical
19:41and get it right.
19:44Nice.
19:45One row must be
19:46completely empty.
19:47Ah!
19:52Oh, hang on a minute.
19:53I spot a couple
19:54of instructions
19:55that I've missed.
19:56Einstein's the only one
19:57in his row.
19:58How am I going to do that?
20:03Er...
20:03Come on, Nathan.
20:07Er...
20:08Nightingale must not be
20:09an orange square
20:09and she's on a row of men.
20:17Let's knock on green.
20:19Oh, he's so close.
20:21Come on, Nick.
20:22You can do this.
20:26Shakespeare must be
20:27in a blue square.
20:28It's the same row as Newton.
20:32Nightingale must be in an orange square
20:34and she's on a row of men.
20:39He's got it right.
20:40Yep.
20:41Get in.
20:42Now the anagram.
20:43Everyone else has found it so easy.
20:45Solve the anagrams
20:46to decipher the clue.
20:47Anagrams is something
20:48I stress a little bit about.
20:52The...
20:54OK.
20:55You're not getting that word.
20:58Must be in the second column
20:59from the east.
21:01So, triggering,
21:02can you be here?
21:07That's got to be it.
21:10There must be one row
21:11that's completely empty.
21:13Bugger.
21:14Um, how is that going to happen?
21:16West.
21:18The something is west of...
21:21Turing, orange, or pink.
21:23Come on, Nathan.
21:24You're so close.
21:27Q-E-R.
21:32Shirley.
21:34So...
21:34Oh, thank God.
21:35Right.
21:35He moves on to the anagram.
21:36That means they're neck and neck now.
21:39OK.
21:39F-Rowans.
21:40OK, I'm not going to read that out.
21:42West of Turing.
21:44South of Curie.
21:47East of Newton.
21:51The answer is...
21:52Well, let me just check.
21:55No, you've got it.
21:56Trust yourself, Nick.
22:00South of Curie.
22:02The answer is...
22:04West of Turing.
22:05South of Curie.
22:07And...
22:07East...
22:08of Newton.
22:10So...
22:10My answer is...
22:12William Shakespeare.
22:13Yes.
22:14The answer is...
22:15William Shakespeare.
22:21It took too long.
22:22It took too long.
22:24I don't know if I did it quickly enough.
22:26If that had been earlier on in the competition, I'd probably feel okay about it.
22:29But I know the competition's really tough now.
22:31And a performance that's average probably isn't going to be good enough.
22:34Let's hope it doesn't cost me.
22:35I hate anagrams.
22:36I hate anagrams.
22:37I'm so glad I could look back at the names to work those out.
22:39I feel like I might have done enough to get it through.
22:42I'm hoping and I'm excited to see if I'm in the final two.
22:46I enjoyed that.
22:48I think it's quite clear who our front runner is, but the battle for second place is really
22:53tight.
22:53Yeah.
22:56It's quite nice to think that the worst I'm ever going to be is fourth.
22:59Yeah.
22:59Yeah, exactly.
23:00It's pretty good.
23:01Joint third.
23:01Joint third.
23:03Yes.
23:04Hey, hello.
23:05How are you?
23:07Well done on the last challenge.
23:09As you know, only two of you can make it through to the final.
23:14So with that in mind, I'm going to take a deep breath.
23:17Oh, my God.
23:18And reveal that based on the speed and accuracy of your performance in the last challenge,
23:25the two that are going through to battle it out to be the UK's first secret genius, R.
23:49Hey, hello.
23:51How are you?
23:53After the most complex game so far, the four Oxford finalists are about to discover which
23:59of them has made it through to the final game.
24:03The two that are going through to battle it out to be the UK's first secret genius, R.
24:24Amy and Nathan.
24:29Oh.
24:32Wow.
24:32Well done.
24:33Well done, guys.
24:35Well done.
24:36Well done.
24:37Thank you, my lucky stars.
24:39I'm surprised, but I'm so grateful.
24:42Selena and Nick, it's the end of the secret genius road for you.
24:46Have you had a good time?
24:47Amazing.
24:47I loved it.
24:48It's been absolutely brilliant start to finish.
24:49As always, go and say your goodbyes.
24:52Guys.
24:53Oh, my God.
24:54Well done.
24:55Good job.
24:56You go smash it, Nick.
25:01I'm not really feeling like negative about going out at this point.
25:05I feel really proud of myself about how far I got, as well as giving myself confidence
25:10through this.
25:10I hope seeing someone like me makes people think twice when they're thinking about waitresses.
25:17You never know where secret geniuses are actually hiding.
25:23Hiya, darling.
25:25Hiya, are you okay?
25:26Yeah.
25:27I'm going to cut to the chase.
25:29Okay.
25:30I'm in the final two.
25:32Oh, my God!
25:35Oh, my God!
25:39I knew you were brilliant.
25:40Oh, my God, you're so clever.
25:47I've got no friends anymore.
25:56I'm anxious to get on with it.
25:59Oh, what if we walk in that room and it's like the chess game in that movie, where the
26:04people are all on chess pieces and they move.
26:05We have to be the chess pieces.
26:07What if it's all the people from the previous heats are our chess pieces?
26:11Oh, God.
26:12Hang on.
26:13Does that figure out how many chess pieces are there in a game?
26:1616?
26:1732?
26:1732.
26:18Now.
26:18Yeah.
26:19Some of them will be disappointed.
26:23There is not a single part of me that thinks this next game will be easy.
26:27Most of all, because of the competition, Amy's an absolute machine and will be so difficult
26:33to beat.
26:35Oh, I feel nervous.
26:42I know.
26:42If you feel nervous, I'll just think down to.
26:45It's the final one, Ellen.
26:48Oh, look at this.
26:49You've pulled out all the stops for the final one.
26:52Recognise any of these faces?
26:54I miss them already.
26:55Oh, I know.
26:57This is the Passport to Genius game.
27:00These are the 12 final players of Secret Genius.
27:03Yes.
27:04There are various details here.
27:05So we're giving age, occupation, location, and names of their first pets.
27:11I could never put my details up here.
27:13I wouldn't know whether to put my real age or my showbiz age.
27:1627.
27:18Each player will have up to three minutes to memorise as many details as they can.
27:25They will then be asked a series of questions.
27:27I've got a question.
27:28Okay.
27:29Why would you call a cat Muffy?
27:31No idea, Ellen.
27:32So, before each question, they will be given a category, such as this, names.
27:38Now, at this point, if they don't feel like they've brushed up enough,
27:42they can decide to turn around and review the board,
27:44in which case they have to stay there for a minimum of one minute.
27:47Of course, it is the final.
27:49It's going to be devious.
27:50But this is a lot of information to take in.
27:53My head's hurting.
27:54Come on, let's go.
27:55Your head's hurting.
27:56Think of our two finalists.
27:58I know.
27:58Poor them.
28:01Oh, yeah.
28:02Best of luck, mate.
28:04Good luck, mate.
28:05The best genius win.
28:07Yeah.
28:08Right.
28:09You'll smash it.
28:10Okay.
28:12If I am a secret genius, I think I'd feel a bit more self-assured.
28:18And I'm already proving to myself that that's okay.
28:21I'm going to be 41 this year.
28:22And if not now, then when?
28:27I feel how in 26 for me now is, I'm kind of becoming boring.
28:32I live in a flat and I go to work and I do my job.
28:36And next year, it'll probably be the same.
28:38It would always be a confidence boost to have someone say,
28:42you are a genius.
28:44I think this competition is a chance to be who I am
28:49and try and be at peace with that.
28:54Everything is riding on this.
28:55They just need to think clearly and stay calm.
29:01Okay.
29:02In front of you are the final 12 players of secret genius.
29:06Memorise as many of the details as you can.
29:08You have up to three minutes.
29:10You will then be asked a series of questions.
29:12Before each question, you'll be given a category.
29:15If you wish to review the picture wall after being given the category,
29:18you must return to the wall for a minimum of one minute.
29:21If you do not wish to return to the picture wall,
29:23ask to see your next question.
29:25They've got so many details to remember.
29:28Yeah.
29:29But this isn't just about memory recall.
29:32It's also testing their fluid reasoning.
29:33You know, their raw brain power,
29:36their ability to reason on the spot.
29:41It's my mate.
29:45Some of this stuff is straightforward,
29:46but some of it is really, really not.
29:49Okay, so they might be tempted to rush this.
29:51It is against the clock after all,
29:53but they would do really well to use the three minutes
29:56they've been given to memorise everything.
29:58Yeah, speed matters, but it's actually accuracy
30:01that's going to win it for them, isn't it?
30:03It's got names, ages, locations, pets.
30:07Focus.
30:09Think of one thing at a time.
30:10How old is everybody?
30:11I think there's nerves.
30:12Yeah.
30:13Kicking in here.
30:16Take me time, take me time,
30:17but not too much time.
30:19That's a great name for a fish.
30:21Oh, now he's critiquing some of the pet names.
30:23Oh, nobody likes the Popeye for a fish.
30:25He's quite inspired, let's face it.
30:26Yeah.
30:27Okay, I think I just need to get on with this.
30:30That's interesting.
30:31Amy spent less than two minutes looking at that wall.
30:34And that's an awful lot of information
30:36to digest in such a short time as well, isn't it?
30:41Names, okay.
30:45Would you like to review the picture wall?
30:48No.
30:48Do I want to look at the wall?
30:49Of course I don't want to look at the wall.
30:50Names, I get people's names.
30:52Let's bring on the question.
30:55Names, okay.
30:56I could do names.
30:58Which player's name is hidden in this sentence?
31:01To be a secret genius,
31:03the tool lies in resourcefulness,
31:07solving problems,
31:08and decrypting clues.
31:12Okay.
31:13Is there any double S's?
31:14Because I can rule out the R's,
31:16but it's not.
31:17So I can rule out J's.
31:18Are there any J's in that?
31:21No, so J's isn't there.
31:23Okay, that also rules out her jar.
31:24That's so clever doing that.
31:26I'm looking to see whether the words amalgamate into anybody.
31:32Olly.
31:32I don't think Olly's in there.
31:34Oh, no, Olly is in there.
31:35Olly's right there.
31:36Tool lies.
31:37O-L-L-I-E.
31:38So, Olly, final answer.
31:41He's doing this so quickly.
31:45The answer isn't jumping out to me.
31:46That's frustrating.
31:47It's not going to derail me.
31:49Look at a different option.
31:51Which player's name?
31:52Olly.
31:53O-L-L-I-E.
31:56Olly.
31:56My final answer is Olly.
31:58Can I have the next category, please?
32:01Locations.
32:02Locations.
32:05Again, I do not wish to return to the picture wall.
32:09Which player's location?
32:12His mum put him forward for this as well, so I'm sure she's very proud.
32:18You know Carol Walderman's mum put her forward for Countdown?
32:21No, really?
32:21She wrote a letter without telling Carol.
32:23My mum doesn't put me forward for anything.
32:25No.
32:26I love Nathan.
32:27If he can win this, I think it would give him some self-confidence, which I think he lacks.
32:33It's Colchester.
32:35Colchester, straight away.
32:37Doesn't even think twice.
32:39Yeah.
32:39Which player?
32:41It's got to be Rosie.
32:42Rosie, that's my final answer.
32:45He's doing it so quickly.
32:48This is an anagram for which player's location.
32:50Oof, okay.
32:52C-O-L.
32:53Are there two Cs?
32:54No.
32:55Oh, there are two Cs.
32:56Colchester, Rosie's location.
32:57My final answer is Rosie.
33:01Right, here comes the next question.
33:04It's great age.
33:06Okay.
33:10No.
33:11Back yourself, Amy.
33:12You don't need the wall.
33:13No, I do not want to look at the wall.
33:18Yes, I'm going to return to the picture wall.
33:20I'm having that battle in my head of do I check and do I make sure, but I'm trying, maybe
33:26for one of the first times, not to think about time, because I know if I think about time, I
33:31might get flustered.
33:32So I focus on accuracy.
33:34It's only 60 seconds, which actually, in the long run, if you get the valuable information that you need, it's
33:39the right decision.
33:57The sum of Richard, Selina, Nathan, and one of the other players' age is 148.
34:01Okay?
34:02I'm 25.
34:04Did he say 25?
34:06Nathan's got his age wrong.
34:08He's 26.
34:10Unbelievable.
34:11Well, this is the final.
34:13And under stress, even the biggest brain can misfire.
34:15Nathan is 26.
34:18So without Nathan, that makes that 122.
34:21Selina is 44.
34:23So take 22 off 100 gives me 78.
34:27So 78 minus 33 gives me 45.
34:31My final answer is Nick.
34:35Spot on.
34:3633 and 44 is 77.
34:39Adds 25 to that is 102.
34:43So I'm looking for 36.
34:46Was that someone who was 36?
34:48Oh, Christ, I'm not sure who there was.
34:50There's no one aged 36.
34:52Come on, Nathan.
34:56I've added up the ages, and it's not quite come out to what I think it's going to be.
35:01So I have a bit of a guess.
35:03Oh, God.
35:04OK, I'm going to say, I'm going to say, Sarah, final answer.
35:09Do you reckon that's going to affect his confidence?
35:11He might feel knocked by that one.
35:13But we need to remember, the game's not over yet.
35:36OK, I'm going to review the board.
35:38Yeah, OK.
35:43At Oxford University, our two remaining finalists are battling it out in an epic endgame
35:50so that one can be crowned the UK's first secret genius.
36:00Nathan does seem a bit flustered.
36:03He really, really needs to stay focused now.
36:05So far, village pharmacist Amy has inched ahead of civil servant Nathan.
36:13Tinker the guinea pig, Buster and Hazel, rabbits, Muffy the cat, Misha the cat.
36:20Hetty the hamster, that works.
36:22And Muffy the cat, that's funny, because it's, yeah, a bit rude.
36:26Looking back at the board, I'm trying to make patterns, I'm trying to see similarities.
36:30If I can just associate it with the right person, Megan, Molly, those are great names, double M's.
36:37Victoria has two cats, Pepsi and Cola.
36:40OK, Pepsi, Cola, I can remember that.
36:42It could be about the names of the pets.
36:45Popeye, Hetty, Popeye the fish, it makes sense.
36:47Your 60 seconds are up.
36:49You can move back when you're ready.
36:52These pet names follow the same rule, Hetty, Molly, Holly.
36:55The word letters also follows this rule, those seven letters.
36:57It's a Hetty, was, oh, oh, that was a hamster, Molly.
37:04Oh, God.
37:05It's about a pattern in words, and I think at first it's maybe about the length of letters in the
37:10type of animal.
37:12So it's, what, name the owner of the other pet that follows this rule, Molly.
37:18He's trying to remember the owners, but he needs to see the pattern.
37:23Double letter, double letter, double letter, double letter.
37:27Who else has a double letter?
37:29What was the gerbil's name?
37:30Hetty, Hamster, Molly.
37:32Oh, but they've got double letters as well.
37:34So it's double letters.
37:35Um, so, Muffy.
37:38So that was Justin.
37:40So, Justin, final answer.
37:42He's remembered Justin's Muffy.
37:46Oh, I can't.
37:48I'm feeling like if I let myself focus in, I'm going to panic.
37:52So let's just divert.
37:55I'm not going to waste time.
37:56I'm going to have to pass on this question.
37:57My final answer is to pass.
37:59Oh, she's going to pass on this one.
38:02There's not much between them, is there?
38:04If it comes down to time, I have to say Nathan may have this.
38:10Oh, this is the big one.
38:14Occupation.
38:17Nope.
38:18Nope, I do not want to review that picture wall.
38:21It's do or die.
38:22Oh, it's do or die.
38:23Look at that.
38:25Do you know, my hands are all sweaty.
38:30Oh, Christ.
38:32This is the really tricky one.
38:34It's just put all the occupations in alphabetical order.
38:37Which one is third?
38:39Oh, my God.
38:40OK.
38:41I can spend time here remembering what everyone's jobs are,
38:45or I can spend time here working through the alphabet.
38:48I think that's my best bet in this situation.
38:52OK, Ollie is an ambulance tech, so she's first.
38:55Any that start with B.
38:57Any that start with C.
38:59Hajar is a comedian and singer.
39:01Any that start with D.
39:03That's going to take a while, isn't it?
39:05I'm a civil servant, delivery driver.
39:08Would there be anything else?
39:09Let me think, let me think, let me think.
39:11Oh.
39:12Oh, hang on.
39:13Richard's a chef.
39:14But did they say chef, or did they say pastry chef?
39:20OK.
39:22Hajar.
39:22My final answer is Hajar.
39:24Comedian and singer.
39:26I'm going to say it's Jess being the coder,
39:31so Jess is my final answer.
39:38Great.
39:39Wow.
39:39Oh.
39:45Amy was quick as well, wasn't she?
39:47They were both absolutely brilliant.
39:51It's over.
39:52Oh, my God, it's over.
39:54Don't get overwhelmed.
39:55Don't get overwhelmed.
39:56SIGHS
39:59I've really no idea whether or not I've done enough,
40:02but all the things to mess up in a memory game,
40:05your own age, I mean, come on.
40:09I need to go and collapse into a puddle now.
40:12Oh, wow.
40:13Wow.
40:15I think I've gone a little bit, little bit, little bit delirious.
40:19Yeah.
40:19I think that's just...
40:20Definitely.
40:20Me too.
40:22Oh, my God.
40:23What a ride.
40:24I know.
40:25It's tough to say whether I've done enough to win.
40:28If I won, it would be such a massive confidence boost,
40:31and that's got to help me feel better about myself in every which way.
40:34What would your genius superhero name be?
40:37I would be...
40:39I would be the secret genius.
40:44I have done enough to win,
40:46because I've done my best.
40:48I've given everything that I've got.
40:50Well, I underestimate myself,
40:52so maybe Lady Underestimation,
40:54but that hasn't got a ring to it, has it?
41:00It's now time for Amy and Nathan
41:03to find out who will be crowned our winner.
41:07I think it would mean a lot to Nathan, to be fair.
41:09Like, he's very comforted.
41:11But then I think it would mean a lot to Amy as well.
41:13Cheering them on today
41:15are some familiar faces they've competed with
41:17to get them to this point.
41:19I'm nervous for all of that.
41:21I know.
41:24Oh!
41:28Welcome.
41:29Welcome back!
41:31We've got people from the previous heat,
41:34my sister from another mister.
41:37We've got CJ,
41:38we've got Vazilla, Simon,
41:40Carl,
41:41Helen,
41:42Debs.
41:43I thought we'd got rid of you,
41:44but you're back.
41:46So, should we bring out the finalists?
41:49Yay!
41:50Come on out.
41:51It's Amy and Nathan!
41:54Oh, yes!
42:00Oh!
42:05Are you emotional already, Amy?
42:08Oh!
42:09It's all these faces,
42:10lots of old friends.
42:11Yeah, it's, um...
42:13There's Joe.
42:15Joe.
42:15You brought me here.
42:17Oh, that's so sweet.
42:20So, I've got to ask you two,
42:22apart from finding out that Justin's cat was called Muffy
42:25and Ollie's fish is called Popeye,
42:28what else have you learnt on your journey?
42:30To have a little faith.
42:32Yeah.
42:32I think I'd better start.
42:34Yes, I think so too.
42:35You really should.
42:37And what about you, Nathan?
42:39Yeah, it's the belief in yourself,
42:41the belief that you might just be what you think you are
42:45and that you can back yourself.
42:46You can say as well to people that say you're not,
42:48well, here I am.
42:50Yeah, look at us now.
42:51Here you are.
42:51So, do you think you're going to take some lessons
42:53for the wider world?
42:54Oh, yeah.
42:55100%.
42:55100%.
42:56Albert Einstein, Alan Turing,
42:59the man who invented the Finder's crispy pancake.
43:03Geniuses come in all shapes and sizes.
43:05And as we come to the end of the road,
43:08one of you will be joining those legends of old.
43:12All those weeks ago,
43:13we started with 48 competitors from all over Britain,
43:17from all walks of life.
43:19And now it's just you two.
43:21The moment of truth has come
43:24and it's come down to speed and precision.
43:30The winner of the first secret genius is...
43:46Nathan.
43:47Nathan.
43:51You were cooking fantastic.
43:53You were cooking fantastic.
43:54Oh, I'm so sorry about that.
43:59Honestly, it could have done either way.
44:01It's incredible.
44:03Oh, it's so funny.
44:04Congratulations.
44:06Well done.
44:09He's not a secret genius anymore.
44:12Everyone knows.
44:21This is mental.
44:23It's mental.
44:24This competition has already changed my life.
44:27I think the confidence I've gained in this process
44:29will set me up for a long, long time.
44:31This trophy, I need to find a place for it.
44:34But maybe join me in bed tonight.
44:36We can have a little cuddle.
44:42I have gained so much through this process.
44:45I may not have won the trophy,
44:47but I still feel like a secret genius
44:48because I never realised I had this in me.
44:51I'm going to carry this with me forever.
44:54It's the best feeling in the world.
44:55What are you going to say to your mum?
44:57Thanks for sending me the link.
45:02So there we have it.
45:04Britain's first secret genius.
45:07And that man's name is Nathan.
45:16Nathan, I've got one more question.
45:18What is a genius?
45:20I think a genius is me.
45:24I think a genius is me.
46:14To apply for a potential future series of secret genius,
46:19go to Channel 4, take part.
46:47I think a genius is me.
46:53I think water's Aquinoormale man.
46:54and you'll see your immediate number of them.
46:54So then we we're at the champs.
46:54We're out of BC.
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