Richard Osman disclosed the reasons behind his exit from the show Child Genius (Image: Getty)
star , the beloved British TV stalwart and brainy co-host of the podcast The Rest Is Entertainment, recently laid bare the truth behind his departure from the children’s show Child Genius.
Chatting up a storm with journalist Marina Hyde, Osman didn’t hold back on the intricacies and backstage drama of children’s television.
The best-selling author discussed the nuances of creating TV that involves children, and specifically why he stepped away from the hit show. He openly critiqued the show’s production approach, especially the portrayal of parents.
“The show was edited in such a way to make the parents look like helicopter parents,” the 53-year-old TV star explained. He further illustrated the editing bias, saying: “one pair on set had an incredible bond but the father was portrayed more as a helicopter parent in the edit of the show.”
The portrayal issues didn’t sit well with the quiz show host. “The kids were amazing on that show. They were just great and also, by the way, almost all the parents were great as well.
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Richard hosted the TV show Child Genius (Image: Channel 4)
“Most of the parents were just sat there thinking what on earth have I got on my hands here. And some of the kids were super competitive – and the parents were also competitive too and I liked hanging out with all of them.”
These experiences culminated in his decision to leave the show. The co-creator of Pointless affirmed he believes firmly in the positive potential of children’s TV, stating: “I don’t think the parents are a problem when you have a kids TV show as long as the show is made with a bit of fun then everyone feels that they have had a sense of magic that day.”
Shifting gears in the podcast, Osman and Hyde touched on lighter topics, including his thoughts on the new spin-off Junior Taskmaster. Osman offered his take on adjusting competitive elements for younger audiences.
“Junior Taskmaster – which is a delight – is not as competitive as the adult one. The one thing with kids is that you do have to de-competitive it a bit.”
Richard revealed all on his podcast The rest is Entertainment (Image: Channel 4)
The dad-of-two also pondered the broader challenges of children’s television, relating his reluctance to expand his quiz show empire to younger demographics: “People often ask us if we would do Pointless for kids and I just think it’s quite stressful to do something with kids. Taskmaster can get away with it because it’s so silly and fun and kids like using their imagination.
“And the show I did which was called Child Genius – again it is the idea that they are children. It was the point of the show with that one. But by and large unless it’s a kid’s game show, you wouldn’t do stuff for kids, for the reason it can be quite stressful being on television.”.
Osman is currently busy with his hit quiz show House of Games, which has been greenlit for 100 new episodes following its smashing success and a nomination at the 2024 National Television Awards.