Yahoo News Child Genius viewers brand winner Rahul’s ‘pushy’ father ‘disrespectful’ after he grabs trophy out of his son’s hands
Viewers have criticised the father of the Child Genius 2017 champion for being ‘disrespectful’ after he was seen laughing at a nine-year-old contestant who got an answer wrong and grabbing his son’s trophy out of his hands.
Rahul, 12 from North London, was crowned winner of the contest after beating his opponent Ronan in a general knowledge buzzer round.
But viewers felt his victory was tarnished by the behaviour of his father Minesh, who was spotted smiling and laughing when Ronan missed out on the correct answer to a maths calculation by one number.
Later, after Rahul had been presented with the trophy, his father came under criticism once more for appearing to grab the prize out of his son’s hands so that he could raise it aloft.
Fans of the show slated the parent, calling him ‘disrespectful’ for celebrating Ronan’s wrong answer.
Rahul's dad laughing at the fact Ronan was one off the correct total is awful, the boy is nine, grow up #ChildGenius
— Tidge! (@rian_elcoate) August 19, 2017
As if Rahul's dad laughed at a 9 year old child getting an answer wrong in #ChildGenius ...absolutely appalling
— John Ruffley (@John_Ruffley) August 20, 2017
Why does Rahul's dad think it's acceptable to laugh when Ronan has an incorrect answer? That's a 9 year old child. Disgusting. #ChildGenius
— Shauna (@shaunaydwi) August 19, 2017
Others felt that his lifting of the trophy proved he wanted to win more than his son.
It comes to something when you don't want a kid to win a competition because his dad is a nugget. The way Rahul's dad lifted that trophy.
— Todd Murgatroyd (@todd28289) August 20, 2017
Rahul's Dad came across awful,so self centred lifting the trophy gloating at the end. Let your kid climb a tree,play & live a little🙄🙄
— irishk8 (@robinson87) August 21, 2017
Rahul's dad just won #ChildGenius pic.twitter.com/NSVvOkX2ta
— Keely (@keely_k7) August 19, 2017
During the competition Minesh had encouraged Rahul to see the other children as rivals rather than friends, telling him: “There are no prizes for being friendly with your opponents.”
Minesh also hinted that despite being too old to take part in Child Genius, we might be seeing him on another TV game show sometime soon.
“The kids want me to go on The Chase as I know all the answers,” he told the Sunday Times.
Child Genius returns to Channel 4 in 2017.
