I had a strange experience last Sunday night and, frankly, I blame Sandra Sully. I was lured in by her insouciant grin on the ads. She made it all sound so harmless and cheerful. So easy to mock. And then, there was the chance that - unlike Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? - I would actually know the answers.
So I make the mistake of tuning in to Australia's Brainiest Kid and I got my answer. If I'd been on the show alongside these 11- and 12-year-olds, I would have been quiz show road-kill, steamrolled by Dularni (who could add up maths equations faster than I can say my own name); Brigid (whose speciality subject was, naturally, post-Chernobyl Ukraine); Callum "the pointer" (who is studying university-level maths); and the night's winner William (a boy with an unnerving gaze and a fondness for the Battle of Hastings). There were laughs. There were tears. There were small children smiting their own foreheads. It's refreshing to see a kids' show that doesn't feature slime and physical challenges involving bike helmets and jelly. And a host who doesn't address the contestants as "dude". I was so smitten with the show I immediately contemplated starting a petition to get Callum a wild-card entry in the final. And best of all? There's no slime in sight. |
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