The Monday morning episode was dropped on Channel 5 this week, and Prisoner continued to be shown six days a week.
EPISODE 28Broadcast on Channel 5 (UK) 29 April 1997 Tues 4:40 a.m. Bea is stabbed Jean ~ Christine Amor Lynn ~ Kerry Armstrong Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Doreen ~ Colette Mann Greg ~ Barry Quin Steve ~ Jim Smillie Vera ~ Fiona Spence Karen ~ Peita Toppano Susan Rice ~ Briony Behets Anne Yates ~ Kirsty Child Officer ~ Jean Cain Syd Butterfield ~ Alan Rowe Mrs Grant ~ Penny Shelton  Prisoner ~ Penny Stewart Dr Weissman ~ Bryon Williams The message from the garden is tapped onto an outside wall by Kate Jason and received (by some mutation of the laws of sound transmission) on an inside wall near the laundry by Penny Stewart. Doreen's aim at the keyboard is very poor: I think this | Bea warns Lynn not to mess up the work experience scheme for other women. Doreen knows she won't get much of a chance as she still awaits trial for escaping with Franky, but she and Lizzie plan to steal a work release form for Lizzie from Erica's office and Doreen will forge the signature. Anne ("Rosemary") Yates arrives at Wentworth as a prisoner  and tries to embarass Vera by chummily talking about parties they both went to. Erica tells Meg that details of Anne's charges must not leak out, especially to Bea. who still hasn't forgotten what happened to Sally. Doreen and Lizzie lose no time in letting Bea know about the new arrival: Bea goes to "welcome" Anne with news of Marilyn and Franky, and hints about Erica's niece and her drug dealing. Anne claims to be inside for receiving stolen goods. Lynn returns to work at the nursery and thanks Syd for giving her a second chance. Bea agrees to help Lizzie in her hairbrained scheme to get work release, if she'll take a look at Anne's file while she's in Erica's office. Vera gives Lizzie cleaning duties and sends Doreen with her, inadvertently giving them a pretext to be outside the Governor's office. Lyn has to lie to Mrs Grant during an extended gossping session when she wants to know about Lynn's family and where she is living. At dinner, Bea provokes Anne into attacking her by tipping her meal into her lap just as Vera turns up to see the incident. Anne complains to Vera that she isn't protecting her, and threatens her with a letter she has left with her solictor which will implicate George sufficiently to put him in prison. Susan sees Dr Weissman  , convinces him she's rational and refuses psychiatric help. Jean tries to point out Susan can be violent, but Dr Weissman replies that Jean herself shows signs of paranoia, and she wouldn't like to be forcibly treated, would she? Anne is now to get all meals in her own cell so she is in contact with the womena as little as possible. Bea hears Anne has been assigned to the garden and asks her to keep an eye on the gate and let her know Erica's movements. When Erica next leaves the prison, Anne asks to make an appointment to see Erica to find out how long she will be away. Lizzie and Doreen are given the all-clear for two hours. Lizzie picks the lock of Erica's filing cabinet. Meg nearly catches them in the Governor's office. Susan is given a fine and a good behaviour bond. Mrs Grant takes offence when Lynn won't visit her at home. Lizzie takes the forged note to Jean, who spots several spelling mistakes  . To explain her apparent rudeness, Lynn is forced to tell Mrs Grant she is in prison. Mrs Grant says she won't work with a criminal, so Syd tells he she can always leave if she doesn't like it. After telling Lizzie off for breaking into her office, Erica notices her filing cabinet is open and that Anne's file is missing. Bea gives Anne her file back and tells her to get rid of it, suggesting she buries it in the garden. |
EPISODE 29Broadcast on Channel 5 (UK) 30 April 1997 Wed 4:40 a.m. Jean hears bad newsJean ~ Christine Amor Lynn ~ Kerry Armstrong Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Doreen ~ Colette Mann Greg ~ Barry Quin Steve ~ Jim Smillie Vera ~ Fiona Spence Karen ~ Peita Toppano Monica ~ Lesley Baker Susan Rice ~ Briony Behets Jason Richards ~ David Bradshaw Geoffrey ~ David Cameron Anne Yates ~ Kirsty Child Ben Carstairs ~ Lindsay Edwards  George Lucas ~ Bill Hunter Martha Eaves ~ Kate Jason  Mrs Henries ~ Natalie Raine Syd Butterfield ~ Alan Rowe Officer Barry ~ Joy Westmore  Booth Announcer ~ Adam Joseph Monica (who suddenly turns up again in this episode without explanation) says that "Alice" and "Madge" were chasing Anne but lost her. Probably she means these two familiar faces | Jean phones Steve and finds out that interim custody of Susan's children has been given to her husband. Anne rescues herself from two heavies by calling for Vera and tells her that Bea is sure what she's inside for now she's seen her file. Bea salts Anne's dinner accidentally on purpose while Vera is on duty to see it. Jean visits Mrs Henries again: the children have already been taken by one of their father's employees and Susan is gone. Anne demands that Vera get her something like a knife so she can defend herself. Instead, the best Vera can do is to lock Anne her in her cell. Anne gives Vera the file back so she can put it back in the filing cabinet. The women vote to watch Jason Richards on TV: Meg and Jean are also watching at home. Meg spots Susan in the audience. Susan gets up from her seat, dashes onto the stage  and throws acid in Jason's face live on TV  . Vera arrives home to find George has let himself in. When Vera mentions the incident with Sally, George replies that he heard that it was "some bitch of a warden" who locked her up who was really responsible. Vera goes to work late after a night of passion, telling George to keep the door locked. Anne steals a knife from the dining room. The women listen to the news on the radio about Jason Richards: he will lose the use of his left eye and need plastic surgery. Jean talks to Susan in solitary: she doesn't realise that she is in prison and talks about going on holiday with her children. Meg shows Jean a newspaper article that says that rather than being his lover, Jason Richards is the same person as her husband Frederick. Vera returns Anne's file to Erica, telling her that it was Lizzie who stole it. Meg finds Anne in her cell and tells her to get back out in the garden. As Meg is escorting Anne along a corridor, Doreen attacks Susan who is being led from the other direction. Meg helps the officer with Susan, leaving Anne unescorted to be grabbed by Monnie and delivered to Bea. Bea and Anne fight: Anne draws the knife and stabs Bea  . Anne runs to the laundry and hides in one of the dryers: Vera comes past and shuts the door  . Lynn meets Syd's son Geoff  . No-one knows where Anne has gone and the officers refuse to tell Monica anything. Lynn refuses Geoff's offer of a lift, but Syd advises him to stick to the girls at University. The officers search everywhere for Anne, but in vain. |
EPISODE 30Broadcast on Channel 5 (UK) 01 May 1997 Thurs 4:40 a.m. Erica calls the policeJean ~ Christine Amor Lynn ~ Kerry Armstrong Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Doreen ~ Colette Mann Greg ~ Barry Quin Steve ~ Jim Smillie Vera ~ Fiona Spence Karen ~ Peita Toppano Monica ~ Lesley Baker Officer ~ Jean Cain Geoffrey ~ David Cameron Judith-Anne ~ Kim Deacon Charles Baldwin ~ Michael Duffield  Det Sgt Grace ~ Terry Gill George Lucas ~ Bill Hunter Policewoman ~ Delva Hunter  Noeline ~ Jude Kuring Clara ~ Betty Lucas Syd Butterfield ~ Alan Rowe Kathleen ~ Penny Stewart Mum ~ Mary Ward Product placement corner: presumably this | Anne is thought to be missing, but Erica cannot accept she has just disappeared into thin air. Meg suspects she may have got hold of uniform and points out she could have had help from a friend on the staff. Vera swallows hard and says absolutely nothing. Erica decides to call the police. At home, Meg has to calm Jean down from informing Erica straight away about Vera's association with Anne. Jean is invited by Steve for dinner: she agrees but only so she can tell him what she thinks of him over his behaviour in the Susan Rice case. Vera tells George that Anne is missing: he reminds her of the letter Anne's solicitor has, which could possibly incriminate them both. Monica is planning to take over as top dog, assuming that's what Bea would have wanted. At dinner, Steve tells Jean that he has only invited her to introduce her to Clara Goddard who is a potential charitable benefactor for a halfway house. Clara rejects Jean's suggestion that she gives her money to the Salvation Army and says she wants the house to be run by the women themselves. Jean becomes suspicious when Karen is mentioned as a possibility to run it. Monica has to take on Noeline  in a fight for caretaker top dog position, but Noeline is blamed for the fight and put in solitary. Meg visits Mum and Judith Ann, and tells Mum that Bea is in hospital. Mum mentions she might visit, so Meg reminds her of the conditions of her parole. Monica takes over the press: Lizzie opens the door of one of the dryers and finds Anne suffocated  . Det. Sgt. Grace investigates: he is scornful about the idea that it was an accident and wonders how the door was closed from the inside. A flashback shows that Vera has suddenly remembered closing the dryer door, but she keeps quiet. Monica taunts Noeline in solitary and hints that she might be held responsible for Anne's death, as they were last seen together heading for the laundry. Judith-Anne encourages Mum to visit Bea suggesting she just turns up with a plant or a bunch of flowers. Steve's senior partner Charles Baldwin tells him they have to do less "charity" Legal Aid work. In retaliation for Monnie's attack on her, Noeline lags on Monnie, accusing her of killing Anne Yates. Judith Ann lets slip to Jean that Meg has been visiting her and Mum against regulations. Monica is questioned by Inspector Grace, who says a "witness" has accused Monica of knocking Anne out with an iron before putting her in the drier. Erica relucantly sends Monica to solitary even though she points out to Sgt Grace there is no real evidence. George gets Vera to agree to come away with him and leaves an envelope with her that he wants her to bring with her when he contacts her and tells her he is ready to pick her up. Vera phones the prison to say she's sick and won't be coming to work. Syd is annoyed with Lynn because he suspects Geoff is attracted to her. Vera packs ready to leave and paces up and down waiting for George to call her. The autopsy report shows that Anne died of suffocation, so Erica releases Monica and puts Noeline in instead. Mum visits Bea in hospital, but is not allowed to see her. Det Sgt Grace visits Vera to ask about her friendship with Anne, just as George phones: he tells her the envelope contains money and she should keep it for herself. Joan goes to see Steve to apologise to him, just as Clara arrives to consult Steve, saying that she's worried that she's about to be arrested  . |
EPISODE 31Broadcast on Channel 5 (UK) 02 May 1997 Fri 4:40 a.m. Bea plans to escapeJean ~ Christine Amor Lynn ~ Kerry Armstrong Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Doreen ~ Colette Mann Greg ~ Barry Quin Steve ~ Jim Smillie Vera ~ Fiona Spence Karen ~ Peita Toppano Monica ~ Lesley Baker Geoffrey ~ David Cameron Doctor ~ Doug Bennett  Judith-Anne ~ Kim Deacon George Lucas ~ Bill Hunter Nurse ~ Jackie Keren  Noeline ~ Jude Kuring Announcer V/O ~ Adam Joseph Clara ~ Betty Lucas Syd Butterfield ~ Alan Rowe Officer 1 ~ Ann Sutherland Officer 2 ~ Sue Silver  Mum ~ Mary Ward Det Sgt Maloney ~ James Wright  Policewoman ~ Carole Yelland | Clara confesses she's been guily of a little "creative accounting" for charitable purposes and her firm have just called in external auditors after discrepancies were noticed the books. Vera visits Bea in hospital to tell her she's going back to Wentworth. Bea starts saving her tablets. Lizzie and Doreen think that Noeline is scary and Lizzie calls her a "desperate woman". Noeline warns Karen to stay out of her way, but Karen insists she's not about to take sides between her and Monica. Monnie enlists the help of Lizzie and Doreen to trap Noeline in a scalding shower  . Jean has to tell Karen that the halfway house idea will have to wait as the finance has fallen through. Clara returns to tell Steve she has been arrested after all: she says that although a discrepancy of $75,000 has been discovered, she'd embezzled over a quarter of a million dollars in total. The women get buyup apart from Doreen, Lizzie and Monica. Karen agrees to buy something for Lizzie and Doreen which puts Monica's nose out of joint. Noeline helps herself to some of Lizzie's cigarettes. A detective from the Consorting Squad interviews Vera about Ann's letter, but she denies she knew George very well. Bea distracts the policewoman guarding her long enough to drug her tea, then waits until later that night to make her escape dressed in civilian clothes stolen from another ward. She seeks refuge with Mum, having got the address from the letter that was left with the flowers. Mum agrees to hide Bea for a few days, despite her own and Judith-Anne's objections. Doreen comes to the laundry in tears having found her teddy dismembered  (by Noeline, it appears). Erica tells the women that Bea will not be returning that day as planned, as she's escaped. Clara can't organise bail for herself and so has to go to prison on remand. Jean phones Mum to find out why she hasn't kept an appointment with her, so Mum pretends she has been ill and didn't go in to work. Jean thinks something is wrong and tells Meg about it. Syd tells Jean he doesn't want Lynn to come to the nursery any more. George returns and tells Vera to turn him in or she will go to prison for helping him, so she phones the police. Clara meets the women and is an instant hit with Monica and Lizzie when they hear how much money she stole. Mum has a visitor, so Bea has to hide in the next room. The visitor is Meg. |
Credits for "Storyliner" and "Script Editor" appear for the first time: see the end of this page. It is interesting that this follows on the introduction of several new regular prisoner characters, like Noeline, Martha and Kath.
EPISODE 32Broadcast on Channel 5 (UK) 03 May 1997 Sat 4:40 a.m. Bea leaves a clueJean ~ Christine Amor Lynn ~ Kerry Armstrong Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Greg ~ Barry Quin Steve ~ Jim Smillie Vera ~ Fiona Spence Karen ~ Peita Toppano Monica ~ Lesley Baker Geoffrey ~ David Cameron Judith-Anne ~ Kim Deacon George Lucas ~ Bill Hunter Martha ~ Kate Jason Noeline ~ Jude Kuring Male Guard ~ Brad Lindsay Clara ~ Betty Lucas Syd Butterfield ~ Alan Rowe Jeweller ~ Colin Vancao  Receptionist ~ Nanette Wallace Mum ~ Mary Ward | Meg is only dropping in to check how Mum is, but takes the opportunity to ask her if she's heard about Bea's escape. When picking up her bag to go, she notices Bea's cigarettes (strange that she didn't notice them when she plonked her handbag right on top of them). Mum quickly and unconvincingly claims they are hers as she's taken up smoking since she left prison. Geoff kisses Lynn when he gives her a lift back to Wentworth, which gets her into trouble with Vera. When Jean asks to see her to talk about what going on between her and Geoff, she assumes it's Vera who's been talking. Unfortunately, Jean has to tell her that Syd has asked for her not to go to work at the nursery any more. Noeline admires Clara's makeup mirror so Clara takes the hint and lets her take it. Karen sees the incident and tells her she should stand up for herself or her stay inside won't be pleasant. Vera reads about George's arrest in the newspaper  . Erica sees Geoff waiting outside the prison and tells him Lynn won't be going to work any more, so he confronts his father about it. Noeline comes back for more, grabbing Clara's handbag to rifle through it. Karen defends Clara and gets a bashing from Noeline. Geoff visits Lynn in Wentworth, and finds out that she didn't leave of her own free will, but was sacked by his father. Clara sees Erica, and is told to call her "Mrs Davidson": however, she has learnt enough to know not to lag on Noeline and follows Noeline's line that Karen had an accident. Bea says she needs an new outfit and a wig, and needs Mum to deliver a note to a friend who own a jewellery shop so she can get some cash. Judith-Anne insists that she must take the note, not Mum. Erica phones Vera at home to ask her about the report in the paper which mentions her friendship with George. When Vera protests that she can see whoever she likes when she's off duty, Erica says she cannot agree and frostily tells Vera to be in her office that afternoon before she signs on for duty. Jean tricks Syd into agreeing to take Lynn back by pretending she never thought the placement would work anywhere. Vera takes legal advice from Steve and gives him the money to pay George's bail. Judith takes the note from Bea to Val Richardson's shop, but the current owner tells her that Val has moved to Sydney a few months ago. Noeline palls up with Martha by offering her cigarettes to get her support to challenge Monica. Judith Ann returns with the new outfit for Bea  , but does not tell Bea that she's bought it herself so Bea leaves. Monica is just about to bash Noeline when Martha turns up and asks her if she needs any help. Jean tells Meg she's moving out for a while to look after a friend's flat. When Jean says she has never seen Mum smoke, Meg realises Bea must be with Mum: Jean agrees to go with her. Monnie bashes Noeline and threatens to put her in the drier, when her friends desert her and help Monnie instead. George plans to leave the country when he finds all his associates have been arrested, but Vera tells him she can't go with him. Bea finds out Val has left when she visits the shop. Meg and Jean visit Mum, and Bea narrowly avoids bumping into them when she returns to Mum's flat. Vera doesn't turn up for her appointment with Erica: she isn't even able to get to the phone when Erica phones her as she's rather tied up  . |
The credits broadcast on Channel 5 and on previous showings int the ITV regions really belonged to episode (33), where they were repeated exactly. Thanks to Steve West of "Blockade - The Prisoner Magazine" (PO Box 63, Pinner, Middlesex) who sent a typed sheet of the credits prepared by Grundy's publicity department, which I have used above. The only changes I have made are cutting character surnames where they aren't usually used and omitting Lizzie and Doreen, who do not appear in this episode.
EPISODE 33Broadcast on Channel 5 (UK) 04 May 1997 Sun 4:40 a.m. Erica finds VeraLynn ~ Kerry Armstrong Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Doreen ~ Colette Mann Greg ~ Barry Quin Steve ~ Jim Smillie Vera ~ Fiona Spence Karen ~ Peita Toppano Monica ~ Lesley Baker Det Carter ~ Charles Gilroy Col ~ Brian Granrott Valerie ~ Billie Hammerberg Noeline ~ Jude Kuring Clara ~ Betty Lucas Officer 1 ~ Jean Cain Judith-Anne ~ Kim Deacon Policeman ~ Ian Hickey Estate Agent ~ John McCallum-Howell  Lisa ~ Tracy-Jo Riley Det Sgt Gleason ~ Peter Stratford  Officer 2 ~ Ann Sutherland Receptionist ~ Nanette Wallace Mum ~ Mary Ward Jean Vernon does not appear in this episode. "Lisa" is a mistake for "Leanne", which is how the character is later credited and how she is referred to in dialogue. Clara seems to be smoking the brand of slim cigarettes known in the UK and US as "More". | Mum is just assuring Judith-Anne that Meg didn't suspect a thing when Bea returns to the flat furious at being deceived by Judith-Anne. Mum tries to calm her by saying that she will go back to the shop and find Val's current address, but Judith-Anne says it would be better if she went and Bea agrees. When Erica gets no reply by phoning Vera, she decides to call in on Vera on her way home, and is about to leave when Vera kicks over a table to signal to her that there is something wrong. The police gain entry to Vera's flat and she tells them it was George Lucas who tied her up. Erica tries a no-nonsense approach and scoffs at Vera's insistence that George was "tender" to her, pointing out that George left her "trussed up like a turkey". She adds that Vera will now have to face the consequences of associating with criminals. Monica annoys the women with her dictatorial ways and they start to pine for Bea's return. When the officer asks them to return to their cells, Monica makes the women stay put, but Karen breaks ranks and stands up. Greg comes to collect Jean to go to the theatre, but asks Meg out instead (possibly aroused by her blue flannelette dressing gown  ). Meg and Greg return from the theatre, Meg in a different outfit which tones in with her sofa  . Doreen and Lizzie ask Karen what to do about Monica, but she points out that no-one else was prepared to stand with her against Monnie in the rec room. Monica gets some financial advice from Clara. Vera sees Steve before she goes to the police to make a statement: ever the cheery optimist, he tells Vera that she could well end up in prison if the police think she has anything to do with George Lucas' activities. Erica tells Meg she wants to demote Vera for associating with criminals and make Meg Acting Deputy Governor, but Meg pleads Vera's case. Instead, Erica grants Vera a few days leave to get over her experience. Steve offers to pay Clara's bail, but she turns him down. Judith-Anne visits the estate agent who dealt with the sale of Val's shop: he gives her Val's phone number, but while he is out of the office, she goes through a file on his desk and gets the address as well. Val reacts to Judith-Anne's phone call by setting up a meeting with Bea, then phoning the police to inform on her. Noeline is moved in to share a cell with Karen and gets two visitors: her brother Col  and her daughter Leanne  . Col tells her the family needs Noeline's help, as their father is in prison for hikacking a "semi-trailer" and their mother is pregnant for the ninth time. Bea gets suspicious when she sees police in the park where Val arranged the meeting, and turns up on her doorstep instead. Val blames Judith-Anne for lagging and says Bea can't stay as she has a regular "gentleman caller" who would not understand, but after a bit of persuasion (or blackmail) she is forced to let Bea stay. Monica puts pressure on Lynn to use her work release to bring in goods from the outside. Doreen tries to stand up to Monica ("Take a tip from Teddy, Monica - get stuffed!"), but is easily put down when no-one supports her. As Bea and Val are waiting for their dates to turn up for a night on the town, a police officer comes to Val's house looking for Bea. |
Storyliner: Dave Worthington (31)-(33)
Script Editor: Anne Lucas (31)-(33)
| (22) to (27) |
