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Josh Mapleston
Josh Mapleston
Josh Mapleston
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Joshua Mapleston (born 20th century) is an Australian writer, comic, and actor. He was the head writer and executive producer on Ghosts Australia for BBC Australia. He was the co-creator and writer on two seasons of Netflix's Surviving Summer.

Key Information

Early life and education

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Mapleston grew up in Brisbane, Queensland. He completed a Bachelor of Arts majoring in film production at the Queensland University of Technology.

Career

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In 2017, Mapleston won an Emmy Award for 'Outstanding Writing in Children's Animation' for his work on Beat Bugs.[1] He is also one of the principal writers for the follow-up animated series Motown.

In the comedy sphere, Mapleston created and wrote I Rock, a narrative comedy series about a struggling indie band. He also starred as the band's misanthropic frontman Nash Taylor.

Mapleston wrote and script-edited the action-comedy series Maximum Choppage. In the same year, he co-created and wrote the web series Ultimate Fanj (Working Group/ABC Television Australia) about the lives of hapless hipsters in inner-city Sydney.

Mapleston's credits also include a number of Australian drama series, including the romantic comedy The Wrong Girl (Playmaker Media) based on the novel by Zoe Foster Blake, the dramedy House Husbands (Playmaker Media) and the television adaptation of John Marsden's action-adventure novels Tomorrow, When the War Began (Ambience Entertainment).

Mapleston has been nominated for two Australian Writers' Guild awards for his work on young-adult drama series Ready for This and Dance Academy. In addition to writing duties, he was also Dance Academy's Series Script Editor for Seasons 2 and 3. Both shows were nominated for International Emmy Awards for "Best Children's Series".

As a stand-up comic Mapleston has been performing in Australia for over ten years.

Mapleston was the co-creator, script producer and writer of Netflix's Surviving Summer.

In 2025 Mapleston is executive producing and writing for Ghosts Australia which will premiere on Paramount Plus.

Other writing credits include:

Personal life

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In June 2014, Mapleston married actress Georgina Haig.[2] In March 2017, they had their first child, a daughter.[3][4] In February 2024, the couple revealed that they were expecting their second child, a boy.[5]

References

[edit]
[edit]
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Josh Mapleston

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Josh Mapleston is an Australian , , , and renowned for crafting witty, audience-friendly stories across , , and children's programming. Mapleston's career spans multiple genres, beginning with contributions to popular Australian dramas such as The Wrong Girl, House Husbands, and the television adaptation of John Marsden's . He has also written episodes for medical comedy and served as a script editor for the teen Dance Academy during its second and third seasons. In comedy, Mapleston created, wrote, and starred in the ABC series I Rock, while contributing as a and script editor to the sketch show Maximum Choppage. His work in young adult and children's television has garnered international acclaim, including as co-creator and co-executive producer of the series Surviving Summer, whose second season ranked in the global Top 10 in over 50 countries. Mapleston served as principal writer on the animated series and contributed to the Emmy-winning children's show . He also wrote for the Logie- and Emmy-nominated ABC series Ready for This. More recently, Mapleston took on the role of head writer and executive producer for the Australian adaptation of the comedy Ghosts, which premiered on on November 2, 2025. His accolades include a 2017 Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in Children’s Animation for and nominations for two Australian Writers' Guild Awards.

Early life and education

Childhood in Brisbane

Josh Mapleston was born in , , , in the 20th century. He grew up in .

University studies

Mapleston attended university, where he worked on a serial called , storylining and writing for the show. His studies culminated in entry into the industry, leading to his initial role as a researcher on the television series immediately after graduation.

Career

Beginnings in comedy and acting

Mapleston began his professional career in comedy shortly after completing his university studies in film production, initially honing his skills through stand-up performances in Sydney's live scene. By 2010, he had been performing stand-up comedy in the city for five years, developing a style characterized by cringe-worthy, character-driven humor that drew on personal insecurities and exaggerated egos, reminiscent of shows like . His transition to acting came with his debut in the 2010 ABC2 series I Rock, a dramatic about a struggling band, where he starred as the lead singer Nash Taylor—a role inspired by his observations of the Australian music scene. Mapleston not only portrayed the insecure frontman but also created and wrote the eight-episode series, marking his first significant collaboration in Australian and blending his stand-up sensibilities with narrative storytelling.

Screenwriting and production

Mapleston's transition to screenwriting began with script editing roles on the Australian youth drama , where he served as script editor for seasons 2 and 3, contributing to the development of its narrative arcs focused on aspiring dancers. He also wrote several episodes for the series, honing his skills in crafting engaging stories for young audiences. Expanding his writing portfolio, Mapleston contributed scripts to the Indigenous youth drama Ready for This, a 13-part ABC series exploring the lives of elite teenage performers from diverse backgrounds. His work on this project emphasized themes of identity and ambition, earning recognition within the Australian television industry. Throughout the mid-2010s, Mapleston provided writing contributions to several prominent Australian series, including the romantic comedy The Wrong Girl on Network Ten, where he penned episodes adapting Zoë Foster Blake's novel into television format. He also wrote for the family-oriented drama House Husbands on the Nine Network, focusing on domestic and relational dynamics, and an episode of the medical comedy Doctor Doctor in 2019. Additional credits include script editing and writing on the action-comedy Maximum Choppage, a six-part ABC series blending martial arts with humor, and episodes of the adventure adaptation Tomorrow, When the War Began on ABC, based on John Marsden's novels. In 2022, Mapleston co-created, wrote, and served as script producer and co-executive producer on Surviving Summer, a young adult series produced by Werner Film Productions in collaboration with Enterprises. The two-season show, which premiered in June 2022 and continued into 2023, follows a rebellious navigating life in an Australian coastal town through and personal growth; season two achieved top 10 rankings in over 50 countries. More recently, Mapleston took on the role of and for the Australian of the sitcom Ghosts, set to premiere on Paramount+ and in 2025. Filming began in Perth in April 2025, with Mapleston leading a writing team to localize the supernatural comedy for Australian audiences. Across these projects, Mapleston has specialized in developing audience-friendly stories infused with wit and originality, particularly in and family genres that balance entertainment with relatable character development. His early experiences in and , such as starring in the series I Rock, informed his approach to dialogue and pacing in these scripted works.

Awards and recognition

Emmy Award for Beat Bugs

Beat Bugs is an Australian-produced animated children's series developed by Beyond Entertainment for Netflix, created by Josh Wakely and centered on insect characters who explore themes from The Beatles' song catalog through educational adventures. Josh Mapleston served as a key writer on the series, contributing scripts that integrated the musical elements with preschool-appropriate storytelling. In 2017, Mapleston shared the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Preschool Animated Program with fellow writers Cleon Prineas and Josh Wakely, recognizing their work on the first season. This victory at the 44th Annual Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, held in Pasadena, California, highlighted the series' innovative use of licensed music to foster creativity and learning in young audiences. The Emmy win represented Mapleston's first major international accolade, elevating his profile as a transitioning from Australian television to global platforms. For , the award contributed to its broader acclaim, including additional nominations across categories like directing and sound editing. This recognition paved the way for expansions such as a adaptation and live musical tours, amplifying the project's cultural footprint.

Australian Writers' Guild nominations

Josh Mapleston has received two nominations from the Australian Writers' Guild (AWG) for his contributions to Australian youth-oriented television series. In 2013, at the 46th Annual AWGIE Awards, Mapleston was nominated in the Children's Television category for the episode "" of the teen drama , recognizing his script's engagement with themes of ambition and personal growth among young performers. This nomination highlighted the originality in portraying the competitive world of dance training within an Australian context. Mapleston's second nomination came in 2016, in the Children's - Television - C Classification category at the AWGIE Awards, for the episode "The Crocodile" from the teen drama Ready for This, which explored Indigenous youth experiences and family dynamics in contemporary . The episode's nomination underscored Mapleston's wit and sensitivity in addressing and resilience. These AWGIE nominations affirm Mapleston's standing in the Australian screenwriting community, where the awards—judged exclusively by fellow writers—celebrate excellence in narrative craft and industry impact for domestic productions. They particularly spotlight his ability to infuse humor and authenticity into stories that resonate with young Australian audiences, contributing to the guild's mission of advancing scripted content on national screens.

Personal life

Marriage to Georgina Haig

Josh Mapleston met actress in , , when she was 24 years old and in her first year after graduating from drama school. The couple married in June 2014. Their professional lives intersected notably in 2014 with the Australian ABC series Maximum Choppage, a farcical kung-fu in which Mapleston contributed as a and script editor, while Haig portrayed the character Elle Crawford across all six episodes. This collaboration highlighted their shared involvement in the entertainment industry, blending Mapleston's expertise with Haig's talents. Mapleston has been a key supporter in Haig's career, frequently assisting with audition preparations and providing candid feedback that she credits for helping her secure approximately half of her roles. He often travels with her to filming locations, enabling them to maintain closeness amid the demands of their respective in acting and writing. This mutual encouragement has strengthened their partnership in navigating the challenges of the industry.

Family

Mapleston and his wife, actress , form the foundation of his family unit. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Greta, in March 2017 while living in . In 2024, Haig announced that the family was expecting their second child, a son. The family has since grown, with Mapleston embracing his role as a father to Greta. The family resides in a coastal home on Australia's , a 1970s split-level house near the beach that emphasizes a relaxed, creative environment conducive to family life. This setting supports Mapleston's work-life balance, allowing the family to remain close and integrate daily routines with professional commitments.

References

  1. https://www.cameronsmanagement.com.au/josh-mapleston
  2. https://www.awgpathways.com.au/writer/josh-mapleston/
  3. https://www.awgpathways.com.au/writer/josh-mapleston
  4. https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1251879-josh-mapleston
  5. https://tvtonight.com.au/2010/04/soap-leads-to-i-rock.html
  6. https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/from-zero-to-guitar-hero-20100503-u2qn.html
  7. https://www.perthnow.com.au/wa/rock-bottom-ng-504f2796770bb86338842a30600eab98
  8. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1568477/
  9. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1859040/
  10. https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/the-screen-guide/p/josh-mapleston/25740
  11. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11367712/
  12. https://www.wernerfilmproductions.com.au/projects/surviving-summer
  13. https://deadline.com/2025/04/ghosts-australia-shooting-cast-set-1236367726/
  14. https://www.cameronsmanagement.com.au/home/2025/4/15/josh-mapleston-is-an-ep-and-lead-writer-of-the-australian-remake-of-ghosts-to-be-shot-by-dop-emma-paine
  15. https://thunderbird.tv/2017/05/03/beat-bugs-wins-daytime-creative-emmy/
  16. https://www.mediaweek.com.au/josh-wakely-daytime-emmy-beat-bugs/
  17. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1859040/awards/
  18. https://www.animationmagazine.net/2017/04/2017-daytime-emmy-award-winners/
  19. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4716268/awards/
  20. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/beatles-inspired-animated-series-beat-bugs-heading-big-screen-1209578/
  21. https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/beat-bugs-animated-series-netflix-live-musical-2020-8497912/
  22. https://tvtonight.com.au/2013/08/2013-awgie-awards-nominees.html
  23. https://if.com.au/the-australian-writers-guild-awgie-nominations-announced/
  24. https://www.filmink.com.au/awgie-awards-nominations-announced/
  25. https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awgau/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/01094955/FULL-LIST-OF-NOMINEES-FOR-THE-2016-AWGIE-AWARDS.pdf
  26. https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/the-person-who-helps-actor-georgina-haig-land-half-her-roles-20210908-p58ptp.html
  27. https://www.tvguide.com/news/once-upon-time-frozen-preview-1087137/
  28. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3365776/fullcredits/
  29. https://www.imdb.com/search/name/?birth_place=Melbourne%20Victoria%20Australia
  30. https://yourroots.com/first-name-meaning/georgina
  31. https://kipandco.com.au/blogs/kip-co/georgina
  32. https://www.domain.com.au/living/sept15-cover-georgina-haig-1085198/
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