John Charles Wilsher (credited as J.C. Wilsher) is an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

television screenwriter and playwright, best known for dramas relating to the

police The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and t ...

and law enforcement such as long-running procedural ''

The Bill ''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, first broadcast on ITV from 16 August 1983 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, '' Woodentop'', broadcast in August 1983. The programme focused on ...

''. His highest profile work was as creator of '' Between the Lines'', which screened in the UK between 1992 and 1994.

Career

He was a researcher at

Lancaster University Lancaster University (legally The University of Lancaster) is a public university, public research university in Lancaster, Lancashire, Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established in 1964 by royal charter, as one of several pla ...

before taking up his writing career, which began by writing for radio. Over forty years on television, he would contribute to several popular series in various genres, such as ''

New Tricks ''New Tricks'' is a British television police procedural The police show, or police crime drama, is a subgenre of procedural drama and detective fiction that emphasizes the investigative procedure of a police officer or department as the ...

'', ''

Torchwood ''Torchwood'' is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. A spin-off of the 2005 revival of ''Doctor Who'', it aired from 2006 to 2011. The show shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing ...

'' and '' Death in Paradise''. Wilsher is also a Past President and Deputy Chair of the

Writers' Guild of Great Britain The Writers' Guild of Great Britain (WGGB), established in 1959, is a trade union for professional writers. It is affiliated with both the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds (IAWG). History The un ...

(WGGB). In 2022, he will self-publish his memoir, ''Paper Work: On Being a Writer in Broadcast Drama''.

Audio Commentaries

Wilsher has recorded three Audio Commentaries for his ''

'' episodes "C.A.D.", "Citadel" and "Workers in Uniform". He is joined for the latter two episodes by actor

Chris Humphreys Chris Humphreys is a Canadian actor, playwright and novelist. Born in Toronto, Ontario. His father, Peter Humphreys, was an actor, writer and Battle of Britain] fighter pilot. His mother, Ingegerd Holter, was a spy in the Norwegian resistance ...

(P.C. Richard Turnham) Released o
The Bill Podcast Patreon Channel

Works

Radio Plays

*Interval. Starring Eileen Atkins/Edward Woodward (21.1.1964) *Microcosm. Starring Paul Schofield/Eric Allen. Director Ian Cotterill. (24.3.1964) *The Ghosts of the

British Museum The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It docum ...

(1978) *The Fruit of the Vine (1978) *Militaria. Starring Norman Rodway/Gordon Dulieu. (24.2.1979) *Summer School Blues (1980) *A Fair Hearing (1980) *A Victim of the Aurora (adaptation of

Thomas Keneally Thomas Michael Keneally, AO (born 7 October 1935) is an Australian novelist, playwright, essayist, and actor. He is best known for his non-fiction novel ''Schindler's Ark'', the story of Oskar Schindler's rescue of Jews during the Holocaust, wh ...

's novel) (1980) *Sunrise Over Baldness (1981) *The Grey Area (1982) *A Pillar of The Society (1983) *Orbital Decay (1984) *Defensible Space (1984) *A Box of Tricks (1985) *A Status Passage (1985) *Fade to black (1987) *In-Flight Entertainment (1991)

Television Screenplays

*''The Quiz Kid'' (1979) *''Sin with Our Permission'' (episode of "

ITV Playhouse ''Playhouse'' is a British television anthology series that ran from 1967 to 1983, which featured contributions from playwrights such as Dennis Potter, Rhys Adrian and Alan Sharp. The series began in black and white, but was later shot in colour ...

") (1981) *'' Between the Lines'' (1992 - 1994) (WGGB Awards for "Original Drama Series", 1993 & 1995; Royal Television Society & Broadcasting Press Guild Awards for "Best Drama Series", 1993; BAFTA Award for "Best Original Drama Series" 1994 ) *''

Silent Witness ''Silent Witness'' is a British crime drama television series produced by the BBC, which focuses on a team of forensic pathology experts and their investigations into various crimes. First broadcast in 1996, the series was created by Nigel McC ...

'' (episodes) (1996) *''

Call Red ''Call Red'' is a British television action drama series created by J. C. Wilsher that premiered on 8 January 1996 on ITV. The series follows the adventures of an Air Ambulance squad, captained by Phillip Tulloch ( Michael Carter). The series d ...

'' (1996) *''The Vice'' (Four episodes) (1999 - 2000) *''

'' (53 episodes) (1989 - 2001) *''Disposal'' (episode of " Murder in Mind") (2002) *''The Dinosaur Hunters'' (2002) *''Favours'' (episode of " Murder in Mind") (2003) *''If… Drugs Were Legalised'' (2005) *''Dust Thou Art, Parts 1 & 2'' (episodes of

Dalziel & Pascoe Detective Superintendent Andrew "Andy" Dalziel and Detective Sergeant, later Detective Inspector, Peter Pascoe are two fictional Yorkshire detectives featuring in a series of novels by Reginald Hill. Characterisation and style Dalziel is de ...

) (2005) *''

'' (Seven episodes, (2006-2011) one of which, ''Diamond Geezers'' (2006), was co-nominated for the WGGB Award for "Best Soap or Series (Television)". *''

'' (episode " Reset") *''

Midsomer Murders ''Midsomer Murders'' is a British crime drama television series, adapted by Anthony Horowitz and Douglas Watkinson from the novels in the '' Chief Inspector Barnaby'' book series (created by Caroline Graham), and broadcast on two channels of I ...

(episode: Not In My Backyard)Torchwood
/ref> *'' Death in Paradise'' (episode "The Early Bird")

References

External links

Wilsher's Radio Plays
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wilsher, J C Living people British television writers British science fiction writers English television writers English screenwriters English male screenwriters English dramatists and playwrights English male dramatists and playwrights British male television writers Year of birth missing (living people)