{{Short description|English playwright and screenwriter}} {{Use British English|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} '''Joseph Lidster''' is an English playwright and screenwriter, best known for his work on the ''Doctor Who'' spin-off series ''Torchwood'' and ''The Sarah Jane Adventures''.
==Biography== He started his career writing ''Doctor Who'' audio plays for Big Finish Productions in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/resources/be-inspired/joseph-lidster/|title=BBC Writersroom interview with Joseph Lidster|website=BBC|access-date=18 January 2023}}</ref>
Numerous further audio plays and prose short stories followed for Big Finish, for their ''Doctor Who'' line, spin-offs and other series (''Sapphire & Steel'' and ''The Tomorrow People'').
In 2005, he started working for the BBC, writing tie-in material for the new ''Doctor Who'' television series. He made his television writing debut in 2008 on the second series of ''Doctor Who'' spin-off ''Torchwood'' and subsequently wrote three two-part stories for ''The Sarah Jane Adventures'' and two two-part stories for ''Wizards vs Aliens''. Lidster wrote for the 2014 ''CBBC sitcom Millie Inbetween''.
Lidster writes the content for the tie-in websites relating to the fictional world of the television series, ''Sherlock''.<ref name="tieien">{{cite web |title=Sherlock:Other Sherlock related websites|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/sherlock/disclaimer.shtml |work=BBC Online |access-date=25 July 2010}}</ref> The websites were designed as "a way of expanding the story".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/sherlock-the-science-of-deduction/5016765.article|title=Broadcast - Sherlock - The Science of Deduction|website=Broadcast|access-date=18 January 2023}}</ref> In 2017 he was the writer of #SherlockLive, an online game which played out on Twitter.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04pccyk|title=#SherlockLive - Interview with Joe Lidster|website=BBC|date=13 January 2017 |access-date=18 January 2023}}</ref> The event won the People's Voice Award at the 2017 Webby Awards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://winners.webbyawards.com/2017/social/social-content-series-campaigns/events/24274/sherlock-live|title=Sherlock Live - The Webby Awards|website=Webby Awards|access-date=18 January 2023}}</ref>
Alongside co-producer James Goss, he has produced Big Finish Productions' dramatic reading range of ''Dark Shadows'' audio dramas since 2011. In 2011, he script-edited the short film ''Cleaning Up'' written by Simon Guerrier and starring Mark Gatiss and Louise Jameson.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1946173/|title=Cleaning Up|website=IMDb|access-date=6 August 2013}}</ref>
In 2012, he won the 'Audience Award for Favourite Playwright' for his first play ''Nice Sally'' in The Off Cut Festival. His short film, ''Wasted'', reached the finals of the Balham Film Festival and was selected to be screened as part of the London Short Film Festival.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/speakers/joseph-lidster|title=Joseph Lidster-London Screenwriters' Festival|publisher=London Screenwriters' Festival|date=18 January 2023}}</ref>
In July 2022, it was announced that he would be returning to the world of ''The Sarah Jane Adventures'' as a contributor to a series of audio dramas focussing on the character of Rani Chandra.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/anjli-mohindra-rani-spin-off-doctor-who-newsupdate/|title=Anjli Mohindra to return as Rani in Sarah Jane Adventures spin-off|publisher=Radio Times|date=18 January 2023}}</ref>
He wrote two episodes of ''Gifted'' for Black Camel Pictures and Media Valley in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Black Camel and Media Valley unveil Gifted|url=https://blackcamel.co.uk/2025/03/26/black-camel-and-media-valley-unveil-gifted/ |access-date=2026-01-18|language=en}}</ref>
==Credits== {{col-begin}} {{col-break}}
=== Television === * ''Torchwood'' ** "A Day in the Death" (2008) * ''The Sarah Jane Adventures'' ** ''The Mark of the Berserker'' (2 parts, 2008) ** ''The Mad Woman in the Attic'' (2 parts, 2009) ** ''The Nightmare Man'' (2 parts, 2010) * ''Wizards vs Aliens'' ** ''Rebel Magic'' (2 parts, 2012) ** ''The Cave of Menla-Gto'' (2 parts, 2013) * ''Millie Inbetween'' ** "Mobile Wars" (2014) ** "Access All Areas" (2014) ** "Mum v Mum" (2016) * ''Eve'' ** "The Eve of Destruction" (2016) * ''Prisoner Zero'' ** "Schism" (2016) ** "Traitor" (2016) * ''Hetty Feather'' ** "Dreams'" (2016) ** "The Last Sunday" (2017) ** "Prisons" (2018) ** "The Parchment" (2019) * ''The Demon Headmaster'' ** "Be Your True Self" (2019) * ''The Dumping Ground'' ** "Friend Zone" (2022) * ''Gifted'' ** "Secrets and Lies" (2025) ** "Unfinished Business" (2025)
=== Film=== * ''Walking with Dinosaurs''
=== Radio=== * ''The Afternoon Play'' ** "Torchwood: Lost Souls" (2008)
=== Audio dramas=== * ''Doctor Who'' ** ''The Rapture'' (2002) ** ''Master'' (2003) ** ''Terror Firma'' (2005) ** ''The Reaping'' (2006) ** ''The Gathering'' (2006) ** ''100'' (2007) ** ''Short Trips: A Full Life'' (2016) * ''Sapphire & Steel'' ** ''Daisy Chain'' (2005) ** ''The Mystery of the Missing Hour'' (2007) * ''UNIT'' ** ''The Longest Night'' (2005) * ''Bernice Summerfield'' ** ''The Crystal of Cantus'' (2006) ** ''The Final Amendment'' (2007) * ''The Tomorrow People'' ** ''Aftermath'' (2006) * ''Dark Shadows'' ** ''London's Burning'' (2010) ** ''The Crimson Pearl'' (2011 – with James Goss) ** ''The Fall of the House of Trask'' (2012) ** ''Snowflake'' (2014) ** ''Bloodlust'' (2015) * ''The Confessions of Dorian Gray'' ** ''The Fallen King of Britain'' (2012) *''Torchwood'' **''One Rule'' (2015) **''Broken'' (2016) {{col-break}}
=== Theatre=== * ''Nice Sally'' (short play at the Off Cut Festival, Riverside Studios, 2012) * ''Ghosts'' (short play at the Fright Night Festival, 2013)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.skylighttheatre.co.uk/#/fright-night/4580007852/|title=Skylight Theatre|access-date=30 October 2013|archive-date=1 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101064539/http://www.skylighttheatre.co.uk/#/fright-night/4580007852/|url-status=usurped}}</ref> * ''Congregation'' (short play produced as part of The Collective Project 2013 for The Pensive Federation)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pensivefederation.com/productions/past-productions/the-collective-project-2/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202232236/http://pensivefederation.com/productions/past-productions/the-collective-project-2/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=2 December 2013|title=The Collective Project 2013|date=23 August 2013|access-date=25 November 2013}}</ref> * ''Withheld'' (short play produced as part of Shorts New Writing, Landor Theatre)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://shorts-newwriting.co.uk/|title=Shorts New Writing|access-date=3 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606223656/http://shorts-newwriting.co.uk/|archive-date=6 June 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
=== Short stories=== * ''Doctor Who'' ** "I Was A Monster!!!" in ''Short Trips: Zodiac'' (2002) ** "That Time I Nearly Destroyed The World Whilst Looking For a Dress" in ''Short Trips: Past Tense'' (2004) ** "The Tramp's Story" in ''Short Trips: Repercussions'' (2004) ** "Trapped!" in ''Short Trips: Monsters'' (2004) ** "The Terror of the Darkness" in ''Short Trips: A Day in the Life'' (2005) ** "She Won't Be Home" in ''Short Trips: The History of Christmas'' (2005) ** "Curtain Call" in ''Short Trips: Farewells'' (2006) ** "Prologue" and "Forgotten" in ''Short Trips: The Centenarian'' (2006) ** "Natalie's Diary" in ''Short Trips: Dalek Empire'' (2006) ** "Salva Mea" in ''Short Trips: Snapshots'' (2007) ** "Keeping It Real" in ''Short Trips: The Ghosts of Christmas'' (2007) ** "42: Prologue" for the BBC's ''Doctor Who'' website (2007)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/episodes/2007/42-prologue.shtml|title=42: Prologue|publisher=BBC|year=2007}}</ref> ** "Houdini and The Space Cuckoos" for the BBC's ''Doctor Who'' website (2012)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p011gpsb/features/doctor-who-adventure-calendar-2012|title=Doctor Who Adventure Calendar|publisher=BBC|year=2012}}</ref> * ''Bernice Summerfield'' ** "A Summer Affair" in ''A Life Worth Living'' (2005) ** "Dead Mice" in ''Something Changed'' (2006) * ''Torchwood'' ** "Monster" in the ''Torchwood Yearbook'' (2008) ** "Consequences" (2009) * ''Other'' ** "Success" in ''Voices from the Past'' (2011)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.robottradingcompany.com/voices-from-the-past-scott-harrison-and-lee-harris.html|title=Voices from the Past|publisher=H&H Books|year=2011|access-date=10 February 2013|archive-date=17 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130217003612/http://www.robottradingcompany.com/voices-from-the-past-scott-harrison-and-lee-harris.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> ** "Soul Man" in "Shenanigans" (2013)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://obversebooks.co.uk/product/shenanigans/|title=Shenanigans|publisher=Obverse Books|year=2013}}</ref>
=== Novellas=== * ''Bernice Summerfield'' ** "On Trial" in ''A Life in Pieces'' (2004)
=== Audiobooks === * ''Torchwood'' ** ''In the Shadows'' (2009) ** ''Red Skies'' (2012) {{col-end}}
=== Other === From 2005 onwards, he wrote the fictional content for the Doctor Who tie-in websites including the MySpace blog for Martha Jones. In 2007, he edited the ''Doctor Who'' short story collection ''Short Trips: Snapshots''. The following year, he wrote "Mad Martha"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/s4/news/latest/080605_news_01|title=Mad Martha|publisher=Joseph Lidster|year=2008}}</ref> for the ''Doctor Who'' website. In 2007 and 2008 he abridged a number of ''Doctor Who'' and ''Torchwood'' novels for BBC Audiobooks, including ''Sting of the Zygons'', ''Wooden Heart'', ''Another Life'', ''Border Princes'' and ''Slow Decay''. He also wrote the fictional blogs of Sherlock Holmes, John Watson, Molly Hooper and Connie Prince, as part of the BBC Sherlock series.<ref>Disclaimer on the BBC1 Official website http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b018ttws/features/disclaimer</ref> He later co-wrote an interactive graphic novel, Tell Me Your Secrets', for BBC Teach.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/tell-me-your-secrets/zdwd382|title=Tell Me Your Secrets}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|id=2779744|name=Joseph Lidster}} * {{ISFDB name|id=Joseph_Lidster|name=Joseph Lidster}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lidster, Joseph}} Category:Living people Category:English science fiction writers Category:English short story writers Category:English television writers Category:English male novelists Category:English dramatists and playwrights Category:English male dramatists and playwrights Category:English LGBTQ writers Category:Writers of Doctor Who novels Category:English male television writers Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:21st-century English screenwriters