Jack Dee’s Help Me Tiny Big Brain starts tonight: Time, Channel and how it works

Jack Dee is putting some of the UK’s funniest comedians to the ultimate intelligence test in a brand-new comedy game show, Help Me Tiny Big Brain, which starts tonight on U&Dave at 8pm.

What happens when you pair some of Britain’s brightest children with comedians who aren’t necessarily known for their problem-solving skills? That’s the question at the heart of Jack Dee’s hilarious new series, Help Me Tiny Big Brain.

Launching tonight (Monday, November 2) on U&Dave at 8pm, the four-part series sees a trio of exceptionally clever young contestants team up with some of the country’s best-loved comedians to tackle a series of fiendish brainteasers.

And there’s a rather big catch: the children aren’t actually allowed in the room with their celebrity teammates!

Instead, the junior geniuses must guide the comedians through a series of increasingly tricky challenges from a separate control room, using nothing but their voices to explain exactly what needs to be done.

With Jack Dee overseeing proceedings, viewers can expect plenty of ingenious thinking, spectacular misunderstandings and comedians discovering that having a tiny big brain on your side doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get the answer right.

Who are the comedians in Help Me Tiny Big Brain?

The series features an impressive line-up of comedy talent, with nine familiar faces taking on the challenge of working alongside their pint-sized partners.

The comedians appearing throughout the series are:

• Maisie Adam – The stand-up comedian and regular TV panellist known for her quick wit and energetic performances.
• Lucy Beaumont – The comedian and television favourite whose wonderfully offbeat humour makes her a perfect fit for the show’s chaotic challenges.
• Fatiha El-Ghorri – The stand-up star bringing her sharp observational comedy to the competition.
• Ivo Graham – The comedian and popular panel-show regular who will have to put his problem-solving skills to the test.
• Guz Khan – The Man Like Mobeen star and comedian who is no stranger to making audiences laugh.
• Johnny Vegas – The much-loved comedian and actor whose unpredictable approach could make even the simplest puzzle entertaining.
• Tim Vine – The king of one-liners, who will need more than a quick gag to get through some of the show’s trickiest tasks.
• Phil Wang – The comedian and panel-show favourite bringing his distinctive humour to the Problem Area.
• Sophie Willan – The award-winning comedian and actress who will be hoping her tiny teammate can keep her on the right track.

With such a mismatched collection of personalities, the partnerships are every bit as entertaining as the puzzles themselves.

How does Help Me Tiny Big Brain work?

The format is simple, but the execution is anything but!

Master of ceremonies Jack Dee introduces the Tiny Big Brains and pairs them with their comedian teammates. Together, they must tackle a selection of challenges involving physics, maths and logic.

However, the comedians are sent into the show’s specially designed Problem Area, while their young partners remain in the control room.

The children can see what’s happening and must shout instructions to help their celebrity teammates complete the tasks. The comedians, meanwhile, have to interpret those instructions correctly and work out exactly what they’re supposed to do.

It’s a recipe for some spectacular communication breakdowns.

Across the series, teams compete in two qualifying rounds, with the highest-scoring partnerships progressing to the End Game.

For the first time, the comedians and their junior partners are allowed into the Problem Area together, although being in the same room doesn’t necessarily make things any easier!

The final episode sees the top teams go head-to-head to be crowned the show’s inaugural champions.

What happens in tonight’s first episode?

The opening episode sees Jack Dee introduce the Tiny Big Brains and match them with their celebrity partners Johnny Vegas, Sophie Willan and Lucy Beaumont.

The teams are immediately thrown into the deep end, with the junior geniuses attempting to guide their comedian counterparts through a dog-wrangling logic puzzle and a maths challenge involving a vacuum cleaner.

Both tasks require plenty of concentration, clear instructions and, most importantly, comedians who are prepared to listen.

The two highest-scoring partnerships then progress to the Problem Area for an apple-ascending physics challenge.

With Jack Dee keeping a watchful eye on proceedings, the opening instalment promises plenty of laughs as the children attempt to keep their celebrity teammates on track.

When is Help Me Tiny Big Brain on TV?

Help Me Tiny Big Brain starts tonight, Monday, November 2, at 8pm on U&Dave.

The series consists of four episodes, with all episodes available to stream on U from launch, meaning viewers can binge-watch the entire competition straight away rather than waiting each week for the next instalment.

With Jack Dee at the helm, nine comedians, three exceptionally clever children and a whole host of brain-bending challenges, Help Me Tiny Big Brain looks set to be a very entertaining addition to the comedy game-show line-up.

And it might just prove that sometimes the smartest person in the room isn’t necessarily the one holding the puzzle!

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