Lydia Adetunji was born in Stockport and grew up in Nigeria before moving back to Britain. After graduating from Cambridge with a degree in Chinese, Adetunji worked as a journalist at the Financial Times for six years. In 2006, she won the Almeida Theatre's Write competition; fon from this, she gained attachments with the Royal Court and National Theatre Studio. Her first full-length play, Fixer, Suffolk's Hightide Festival in May 2009. It also received accolades at the2010 National Play Festival in Brisbane, where it was chosen as an outstanding example of international theatre. She is also the Pearson Writer in Residence for Paines Plough.