Nishi shows her smarts
GIRL, 12, TRIUMPHS IN TV CONTEST TO BE CROWNED BRITAIN’S BRAINIEST KID
A STEPHEN Hawking superfan has been crowned Britain’s brightest youngster.
Nishi Uggalle, from Audenshaw, aimed to ‘show girls they can win things’ and she succeeded by triumphing on Child Genius, the Channel Four contest to find the nation’s most gifted children.
Hundreds of youngsters applied from across the UK, with 19 of them making the final cut – and 12-year-old Nishi put herself forward for the contest. On Saturday night Nishi, described as a ‘superfan’ of visionary physicist Professor Hawking, cruised to the final two after being quizzed about physics and black holes.
Cheered on by her proud parents Neelanga and Shiromi she went up against 11-year-old William Harwood.
“It’s been really incredible and William put up an incredible fight,” she said as she was declared champion.
The contest, open to children aged from eight to 12, aired every night last week, culminating in the grand final with competitors challenged on spelling, maths, memory, vocabulary, geography and science.
Nishi previously said: “I think Child Genius has definitely been the largestscale and most challenging competition I have ever taken part in.
“It’s completely different to any school experience; I attend a grammar school so all the students are incredibly talented, but to be competing against the best in the country was a new challenge.
“Overall, I loved the experience, and made great friends with the other competitors.
“I think it was also interesting for my mum and dad to meet some parents of other gifted children.”
Nishi first appeared in the M.E.N. back in 2016 when she scored the highest possible mark in a Mensa test, with 162.