Heralded by BAFTA- and Emmy-winning Jack Thorne as "a tremendous talent", Josh is a neurodivergent / disabled Screenwriter. He writes for HOLLYOAKS. His BBC-commissioned short BREATHE has screened widely through BAFTA- & BIFA-qualifying Oska Bright Film Festival + London Short Film Festival. In development are a comedy-drama series with Steve November (former head of ITV Drama), a TV show with Gurinder Chadha (writer-director of BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM), a short film with Simon Smith (BAFTA- & Emmy-winning editor of CHERNOBYL and STAR WARS: ANDOR), plus a feature film with Nigel Cole (director of CALENDAR GIRLS, MADE IN DAGENHAM, DOC MARTIN). In 2021, Josh’s debut play MADDIE completed a sold-out, well-reviewed run at London’s Arcola Theatre and was published.

 In 2020, Josh was awarded Arts Council England funding to write & direct a remotely-shot comedy film, VODKA PANTS, starring David Schaal (THE INBETWEENERS) and his other short films have been screened across the globe and broadcast on television. VODKA PANTS features in Oska Bright Film Festival 2024. Josh has been a commissioned / published playwright with Boundless Theatre and New Wolsey Theatre and is a founding member of the Barbican Young Filmmakers for whom he co-devised and created UNLEASHED, which The Independent reviewed *****. Josh's writing-directing work was awarded a ‘Best Film Noir’ commendation from the producers of Hollywood classic SIN CITY. Josh is an ambassador to the BAFTA-winning TripleC / DANC (Disabled Artists Networking Community). He has also written for Rory Bremner on BBC Radio 4, who hailed Josh as an "exciting & talented writer".  

For more information or to work with Josh https://joshmerritt.co.uk/index.html