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PICK OF THE DAY

QUIZMASTER Richard Osman is the best thing that could have happened to this competition – providing a much-needed element of comic relief and sanity.

As the kids stress out, and the pushy parents flap around spewing motivational instructions, he cracks jokes and puts the kids at ease.

“Don’t wee yourself,” are his words of wisdom backstage. The Cambridge University graduate then walks out to an audience of highly-strung parents, quipping: “You’re going to feel some awe, and you’re also going to feel very, very thick.”

And that just about sums it up really. This annual Mensabacked competition, on for six nights this week, sees 20 of the country’s cleverest 8-12-yearolds battling for the title of Britain’s brightest child. And it’s intense.

“What’s your favourite language?” says one child to another. “German,” comes the reply. “Ahh, mine’s Latin.” This probably gives you an idea.

Maddison, 10, is nicknamed Carol Vorderman by her peers, while Tyler, 10, is on a strict training regime. These super intelligent youngsters are amazing to watch, but as ever, most fascinating of all are the parents.

Self-confessed helicopter mum Susan has entered both her daughter Olivia, 12, and son Fabio, nine. But she has no qualms in revealing she is 100% behind Fabio, “because Olivia wins everything”.

How would Olivia feel about Fabio winning? “It’s hard to imagine. It goes against all things logical,” she says.

The contest begins with two gruelling language tests – spelling and complex linguistic memory rounds.

And your heart will be in your mouth as the suit and tie-wearing Rahul, 12, attempts to spell ‘hyponatraemia’ (no, me neither) for a perfect score in round one.

His dad believes he’s as clever as Einstein or Stephen Hawking, so no pressure then...