Channel 4's Secret Genius Triggers Major Surge in Mensa Applications
Mensa UK has experienced a remarkable surge in interest following the launch of Channel 4's new television series Secret Genius, which showcases unsung intellectual talents across the country. The programme, described as "Bake Off with brains," has resonated deeply with viewers, leading to significant increases in both membership applications and IQ test participation.
Dramatic Increase in Membership and Testing
During the last week of January and first week of February, coinciding with the show's promotion and premiere, Mensa witnessed an extraordinary 81% increase in former members deciding to rejoin compared to the same period last year. Simultaneously, the number of people attempting the society's supervised IQ test between January 29th and February 6th rose by 37% year-on-year.
To qualify for Mensa membership, candidates must score in the 98th percentile or top 2% on the IQ test, which measures cognitive abilities including logical reasoning, problem-solving, memory, and spatial recognition. While average IQ scores range between 90-109, UK Mensa requires a minimum score of 132.
Warm and Authentic Portrayal Challenges Stereotypes
Presented by Countdown's Susie Dent and comedian Alan Carr, Secret Genius has uncovered individuals with IQs comparable to historical figures like Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, many of whom lacked confidence in their own abilities. The series features four regional heats where winners progress to finals, revealing contestants who often struggle with self-belief and have hidden their intelligence from peers.
Kayleigh Mapstone, executive director of British Mensa, expressed delight at the increased engagement: "The programme offers a refreshingly warm and authentic glimpse of our membership and helps challenge outdated preconceptions about what intelligence 'looks like.' Since it aired, we've seen a significant rise in people engaging with Mensa and booking to take a Mensa IQ Test."
Contestants Find Community and Acceptance
Susie Dent, 61, noted that most participants were nominated by friends and family rather than volunteering themselves. "In many cases, they really had zero self belief," she explained. "Quite often we found that they were too embarrassed by their intelligence, so they'd deliberately repressed it from their peers because they didn't want to be different."
Alan Carr, 49, contrasted the contestants with reality television stereotypes: "There's no one with turkey teeth, no one with abs. This is a different kind of person. They do not want to be in the limelight. They don't want to steal my job. But they would like a second chance, and they would like a bit of fulfilment."
Production Team Hopes for Second Series
Executive producer Jon Cahn explained the careful selection of hosts: "We were looking for the alchemy of brains and humour to make sure that it was warm and accessible. The way we like to think about it is Bake Off with brains. We just felt like the pairing would be really brilliant."
The show has increased traffic to the Mensa website by 50% since its February 1st premiere. Susie Dent suggested the programme's appeal lies in recognizing hidden genius in everyday life: "There's about a million secret geniuses apparently - that's one in fifty of us."
