Series synopsis
Secret Genius is a British reality talk television series that premiered on Channel 4 on February 1, 2026. It stars Alan Carr and Susie Dent.
Are you a secret genius? Alan Carr and Susie Dent unearth the hidden potential in ordinary people with extraordinary minds, as contestants take on a series of epic intelligence games.
Premise
Are you a secret genius? Alan Carr and Susie Dent unearth the hidden potential in ordinary people with extraordinary minds, as contestants take on a series of epic intelligence games.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Alan Carr as Self - Host
- Susie Dent as Self - Host
Episodes
This series spans 2 seasons with 13 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 6 | February 1, 2026 | March 1, 2026 |
| Season 2 | 7 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
North-West and Northern Ireland Heat The first 12 contestants face a quickfire round where they must spot the missing letters from the months of the year and a memory game where pairs must memorise the positions of ice cream tubs, toppings and cones. |
February 1, 2026 |
| 2 |
North-East and Scotland Heat Twelve new contestants face a 'wheely' challenging words game and a sweets memory test. But with only three places up for grabs in the final, it won't be a sweet ending for some... |
February 2, 2026 |
| 3 |
South-West and Wales Heat The next 12 contestants including “Sherlock” the pharmacist, a nanny who feels underestimated, and student Rosie face a fresh set of challenges based on the games Mensa use to measure IQ. The tasks include code breaking, lexical perplexity, and a particularly complex cipher involving a landline phone — something the youngest contestant, Rosie, struggles with for reasons beyond the difficulty of the puzzle itself. By the end of the episode, only three contestants will earn a coveted place in the Oxford finals. |
February 8, 2026 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Episode 1 | |
| 2 | Episode 2 | |
| 3 | Episode 3 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | Channel 4 |
|---|---|
| First aired | February 1, 2026 |
| Last aired | March 1, 2026 |
| Status | continue |