Please can we have some more? (From Watford Observer)

Ryan Wiggins from South Oxhey reaches final of TeenStar competition

3:10pm Friday 8th March 2013 in News By Ben Endley, Senior reporter

A talented South Oxhey youngster has had more than a little cause for celebration recently when he reached the final of a talent competition days after landing the lead role in a theatre production.

Ryan Wiggins, 11, has been writing and performed his own songs for more than a year before entering the TeenStar talent competition.

A Northwood School pupil, Ryan, who has Asperger’s, impressed the judges in the regional final of the competition and must now perform in front of a live audience in the Beck Theatre, Hayes next Saturday, March 16. The ultimate prize is the chance to perform at the O2 Arena.

He said: “After performing we had to go into this block, there was five of us and a man came along and called three of them out so it was just me and this other girl.

“Then he came back in and told us we were through to the final. I didn’t really know what to think, I was quite excited when he said it.

“I am really happy about it, I have been singing for as long as I know but have been properly into music for about a year.”

Last month, Ryan, of Hindhead Drive, narrowly missed out on a scholarship to the Sylvia Young Theatre School but secured the lead role in Oliver! at the Palace Theatre this summer.

He describes his life as “90 per cent music” and dreams of becoming a professional singer/songwriter.

He finds inspiration for his songs in all sorts of things, he said: “It depends what sort of mood I am in, most of the time I have to think about it but sometimes it just comes to me.”

His mother Jo said: “He’s always strumming his guitar, from first thing in the morning to last thing at night. We are constantly going here, there and everywhere to different things but this is his love.”

Tickets can be bought on the door or by emailing Jo Wiggins at joung66@hotmail.co.uk.