Johnny Oddball

Directed by Philippa Walker

At the age of 8 Michael Cooper (known as Mini) began setting things on fire. Eventually he tried to burn down his own house, with his father inside. Ten years ago an award-winning BBC film told the story of this astonishingly attractive and intelligent child arsonist (Mini wasn't allowed to see it at the time). Since then, for more than half his life, Mini has been locked up in high-security psychiatric care. Mini is now 21. He has recently been released on conditional discharge. Hoping to become a magician, he has taken the stage-name 'Johnny Oddball '. Tonight's film, juxtaposing scenes from past and present, follows Mini's first steps in the outside world, and his struggle to build a career on the fringes of show business. He and his parents battle to understand why they failed in the past and what hope there is for the future. And Mini comes face to face, for the first time, with his actions and their horrifying consequences.