A Brighton youngster is to star in televised Christmas lectures.

Harrison Wood, 14, from Brighton, is due to appear in the annual Christmas Lectures, presented by the Royal Institution and televised as part of the BBC’s festive programming.

The Shoreham Academy pupil was part of the filming of the historic science and engineering lectures in London earlier this month and supported lecturer Professor Danielle George by helping her play one of the biggest computer games in London.

He said: “This is incredibly exciting and a very unexpected turn of events. I’m so lucky to get picked.

“I’m a huge computer games fan but I’ve never played one like this before, definitely not one this big.”

In this year’s lectures, entitled Sparks Will Fly, How To Hack Your Home, Prof George takes three great British inventions – a light bulb, a telephone and a motor – and demonstrates how viewers can adapt, transform and “hack” these everyday items to do extraordinary things. Described as “tinkering for the 21st century”, Prof George said: “Today’s generation of young people are in a unique position.

“The technology we use and depend on every day is expanding and developing at a phenomenal rate; our society has never been more equipped to be creative and innovative.

“I want young people to realise that that they have the power to change the world right from their bedroom, kitchen table or garden shed.

“If we all take control of the technology and systems around us, and think creatively, then solving some of the world’s greatest challenges is only a small step away. I believe everyone has the potential to be an inventor.”

Filmed in front of a live audience in the theatre at the Royal Institution of Great Britain, the original science and engineering events for children were started by Michael Faraday in 1825.

The 2014 Christmas Lectures are broadcast on BBC Four at 8pm tomorrow, on Monday and Tuesday.

The lecture involving Harrison airs tomorrow.