'Mastermind' seat for autistic boy

A boy with Asperger's syndrome has won a place in BBC2's Junior Mastermind because of his detailed knowledge of Star Wars.

A boy with Asperger's syndrome has won a place in BBC2's Junior Mastermind because of his detailed knowledge of Star Wars.

Andrew Cowan, 11, who has been diagnosed with the mild form of autism, first displayed an aptitude for his specialist subject at the age of four. He amazed his parents by answering a Star Wars quiz in a newspaper and getting 95 per cent of the answers right.

Andrew, from Glasgow, finds social interaction difficult and is upset by high noise levels. He also finds it challenging trying to cope with stressful situations. However, he was determined to take part in the programme, hosted by John Humphrys, and to sit in the famous black chair.

Andrew said: "I wanted to show that people like me can live a normal life and that we're not what people think. Asperger's syndrome is ... a blessing, not a curse."

He added he liked the Star Wars films because they were "a classic story between good and evil".

Andrew is one of a total of 20 contestants who are aged between 10 and 11 and who will appear on the series which is scheduled to begin on 16 May.