<i>Aug 30 2004
Scotland's Mastermind hope
THINK Junior Mastermind and visions of studious swots with their heads buried deep in a pile of books spring to mind.
But Scotland's hope of claiming the title on the TV show couldn't be further from the nerd-like stereotype.
Calum MacEwen is a tousled-haired skateboarder who is more likely to be found riding a half pipe with his pals, or practising his electric guitar than poring over schoolwork.
That's not to say the 11-year-old couldn't care less about flunking grades.
'Lots of people are clever but aren't nerds. I hope to do well in school but I wouldn't be serious about it. I'm not studious, I like to enjoy myself,' he said. 'It's important to do well at school as it could affect your whole life.
'My school pals think it's quite cool I'm the only person in Scotland to get on the show.'
Calum, from Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire, would rather be on the sportsfield than in his bedroom gazing at a computer screen.
'I don't sit at home on a nice day playing computer games. I'd much rather be outside on my skateboard or BMX,' he added.
Calum did however take time out from sport and music to get to grips with his specialist subject, the Alex Rider novels by Anthony Horowitz.
Calum faces a two-minute grilling by broadcaster John Humphreys on the adventures of the 14-year-old reluctant spy in tonight's show. The schoolboy read the series of books just four months before sitting in the TV hot seat.
'I read Skeleton Key in a day as I wanted to get on to Eagle Strike and I read them all again before going on Junior Mastermind,' he said.
He has even introduced parents Pauline and Neil, and brother Gregor, nine, and sister Morven, eight, to the adventure stories before the family travelled to London to watch Calum on the show. Mum Pauline, who runs her own chain of opticians, said: 'He's not the brightest in the class but he is switched on in other ways and has a sharp business mind.
'When he was four he drew pictures and sold them to all the neighbours. Hecame home with £4.50. The following year he set up a car washing scheme and a car boot sale in the garden.'
Calum could get his head for business from his mum or dad Neil, self-made boss of the Advanced Laser eye clinics in Scotland and Belfast.</i>
here are details for friday's show plus final on saturday - to add to first four heats listed above.
<i><b>Friday</b> - Four children take the walk to the black chair to answer questions on dinosaurs, Vincent Van Gogh, the life and career of Sachin Tendulkar, and the Tudors.
<b>saturday</b> - It's the Final of the junior version of Britain's toughest quiz. Tonight's subjects are: the geography of Australia, James Bond villains, frogs, Western European geography and The Princess Diaries</i>
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