EPISODE 161Broadcast on Channel 5 Monday 17th November 1997 23:45 Bea is found unconscious after being assaulted; the new inspector makes his presence felt; and some of the women have money stolen.CREDITSMeg ~ Elspeth BallantyneJudy ~ Betty Bobbitt Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Jim ~ Gerard Maguire Doreen ~ Colette Mann Vera ~ Fiona Spence Margo ~ Jane Clifton Helen ~ Caroline Gillmer Gillespie ~ Wynn Roberts Anne ~ Rowena Wallace Rifle Instructor ~ Andrew Gilmour  Mr Potter ~ Jonathan Hardy  Officer Powell ~ Judith McGrath Mr Douglas ~ Ian Smith UNCREDITEDOfficer Phillip ~ Lise RodgersJulie ~ Christine Jack Gate Guard ~ Roy Edmunds OTHER CHARACTERSThe background prisoner Bev (Cavelli) also has a line, but doesn't get a credit.This may also be the first episode in which Julie the receptionist speaks. During the target practice we see a male officer who never appears again | Judy finds Bea lying unconscious and calls for help. When Vera goes to report the incident to Erica, she tries to pretend in front of Gillespie that it is only a routine matter, but he insists on hearing her report. Judy tells the women in the rec room about the attack on Bea: Lizzie reckons there must be a basher in operation and any of them could be the next victim. Bea can tell Erica nothing useful about the attack, so Erica asks for surveillance to be stepped up on Bea and all her group. Vera suggests (prophetically, as it turns out) that this will only "drive them underground". Bea tells the women she needs to know anything which could identify her attacker. Gillespie "recommends" that the security gates be locked at all times and that armed guards should be posted round the perimeter fence. The script arrives for the pantomime and Vera wants to set to work censoring it, but Erica tells her there are more important things to do. Anne's Legal Aid solicitor tells her that the police need to trace her friend Megan to check her alibi, but Anne insists she saw Megan off from the airport. Casting is settled for the pantomime: Doreen as Cinderella; Lizzie as the Fairy Godmother; and Bea and Judy as the Ugly Sisters. Gillespie talks to Bea in person, and warns that he is ready to "knock her off her perch". Vera is told off by Gillespie for letting Lizzie talk back to her. Erica phones Ted Douglas to ask how long they must all put up with Gillespie's interference. Margo comes to the rec room to report to Bea that no-one in the other blocks has any information on who bashed her, but Bea ropes her in to act a part in the pantomime, along with Mouse. Doreen finds all her money has been stolen and Lizzie is upset when suspicion falls on her first. Helen Smart returns to Wentworth for not paying a fine for soliciting  (and with a fine collection of accents, predominantly French, but wandering all over Europe). Margo finds that some of her money is missing too: Bea announces that whoever is stealing the money will be in deep trouble when she is caught. Judy takes Bea aside and asks her if she's lost any money herself. When Bea says that she hasn't, Judy suggests that someone might be trying to set her up. The officers go for rifle practice: Meg aims for the target's legs, but Vera aims for the heart  . Anne asks Judy how she got inside and about her escape attempts. When Sharon is mentioned, Anne asks if Judy has a girlfriend at the moment, and admits that she once had a relationship herself with a girl called Eloise. Judy takes this a proposition, and turns Anne down. Anne goes back to the rec room and drops a hint to Bea that Judy is considering another escape. Doreen overhears a staff room conversation between Vera and Jim where Vera is praising Gillespie as just the sort of person Wentworth needs as Governor. Bea goes to Judy's cell and finds her with a huge wad of notes in her hand  . |
EPISODE 162Broadcast on Channel 5 Tuesday 18th November 1997 23:20 Judy claims the money was planted on her and returns it; Gillespie tries to stop the pantomime; and Judy tries to persuade Bea to sanction an escape attempt.CREDITSMeg ~ Elspeth BallantyneJudy ~ Betty Bobbitt Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Jim ~ Gerard Maguire Doreen ~ Colette Mann Vera ~ Fiona Spence Margo ~ Jane Clifton Helen ~ Caroline Gillmer Gillespie ~ Wynn Roberts Anne ~ Rowena Wallace Mouse ~ Jentah Sobott Policewoman ~ Joy Mitchell | Judy claims the money was planted in her cell. Bea is prepared to give her the benefit of the doubt, but doesn't rate her chances of getting the other women to believe her, even when she gives them the money back. Bea suspects that it is Gillespie who is stirring up trouble, possibly as a way of getting her transferred. Doreen tells Lizzie she thinks Erica is getting the sack, and when Bea hears this, she reckons it gives Gillespie an even better motive. Erica rejects Gillespie's demand that the pantomime is cancelled and tells him she'll put her job on the line to ensure "That show will go on". As Bea predicted, the women are not impressed with Judy's story about the money. Bea is outraged that the women seem to have lost interest in the pantomime. Erica passes on Gillespie's latest instructions to the staff: all officers are to take a refresher course in unarmed combat, the armoury is to be restocked and the pantomime cancelled. Vera passes on what she overheard in the rec room, suggesting that the pantomime won't go ahead anyway. Margo complains that Judy hasn't repaid her in full and Bea has to break up a fight between them. Later Bea works out that the thief must be one of the women who claimed to have been robbed, and was given back money that was never stolen. Helen passes on rumours from C and D blocks that Erica has resigned, so Bea tells her they aren't true. Erica gets permission from the Department to stage the pantomime as long as Gillespie's security instructions are followed to the letter. Bea uses the exercise period to appeal to the women to unite against Gillespie: Vera stops their discussion and remarks that the pantomime is cancelled. Bea demands to see the Governor and passes on information about the thefts, blaming Gillespie. Erica doesn't take the accusation seriously and is able to tell Bea that the pantomime is going ahead after all. Judy gives Margo the missing three dollars out of her own money. Margo sees the arms delivery van when she is outside emptying the bins  . Meg admits to Jim that she is seriously considering handing in her resignation. A policewoman arrives to interview Anne: she is told that there is no trace of Megan and that the police are going to recommend that the prosecution goes ahead. Helen volunteers to make arrangements on the outside for the escape when she hears that Doreen is willing to pay. Bea changes her mind about the escape when she sees Vera patrolling the perimeter with a rifle slung over her shoulder  . Anne seems upset by a letter she receives from Western Australia. Doreen shows Helen how to forge her signature so she can take money out her bank account. Anne asks to see the police again, and claims she has new evidence: she shows the policewoman a letter from Megan. Meg tells Vera about the letter, but Vera remembers censoring it and says it wasn't from Megan, but from Anne's brother telling her the family had disinherited her. |
EPISODE 163Broadcast on Channel 5 Wednesday 19th November 1997 23:45 Ann is convinced that the forged letter is from Megan. And plans continue for the escape.CREDITSMeg ~ Elspeth BallantyneJudy ~ Betty Bobbitt Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Jim ~ Gerard Maguire Doreen ~ Colette Mann Vera ~ Fiona Spence Margo ~ Jane Clifton Helen ~ Caroline Gillmer Gillespie ~ Wynn Roberts Anne ~ Rowena Wallace Bob Morris ~ Anthony Hawkins Policewoman ~ Joy Mitchell Phyllis ~ Reylene Pearce UNCREDITEDMr Collins ~ James Taylor Gate Guard ~ Roy Edmunds OTHER CHARACTERSMan at City Hall (Thanks to Tim Coward for identifying the actor Bill Bennett )Lizzie's memory is at fault when she claims that Ann yates was stuck in the drier for "days". | Vera catches up with the policewoman just as she is leaving to tell her the truth about Anne's letter. Bea finds Anne packing her bags, confident that Megan will clear her. Anne is asked for a sample of her handwriting to prove she didn't write the letter she handed over to the police. Judy tells Bea that Mouse and Irene want to come along on the escape. Margo says Doreen must be mad to trust Helen with her money, and Bea warns Helen not to take a penny more than she needs. Meg asks Vera if she's sure there was no letter from Megan: if the letter was forged by Anne, then perhaps Megan is just a figment of her imagination. Lizzie rehearses her part in the pantomime with L plates on, as she's a "learner" Fairy Godmother  . Bea tells Helen to get a plan of the storm water drains so they know where to park the getaway vehicle. Lizzie talks to Anne about her daughter, and by an odd co-incidence, the daughter also seems to be called Megan. Helen is released. Anne is told that a graphologist confirmed the letter was written by Anne herself. Helen plays the dumb blonde to get a copy of the plans of the drainage system from a man at City Hall. Anne admits to Bea that she forged the letter: Meg sees part of the conversation and accuses Bea of threatening Anne. Helen comes back to Wentworth on the pretext that the officers didn't hand over all her property on release: in the garden on the way out she picks up the tennis ball the women are playing with and substitutes another which contains the plans. Bea is now convinced it was Anne who bashed her and suggests they set her up to do something illicit and see if she lags to the officers. Gillespie outlines his requirements for security at the pantomime: all officers will have to work at the time of the pantomime. Meg is annoyed when Gillespie demands the pantomime costume materials are searched merely because Bob had handled them. Jim tells the women the pantomime will be held in a marquee in the grounds as Gillespie doesn't want a large number of visitors wandering around inside the building. Bea (finally!) realises that the pantomime will make a perfect diversion for the escape. Lizzie points out to Anne the drier where Anne Yates suffocated: Anne hallucinates a baby spinning around inside the drier  . Gillespie takes up Vera's suggestion to put armed officers on the roof. Bea suggests making two costumes for Judy and Doreen to allow a substitute to appear on stage in their places. Anne is put forward to help with the costumes as a test of her loyalty and Judy makes her hide the extra material rolled round her body under her blouse. Bob tries to use Meg's dissatisfaction with Wentworth to make her agree to give up her job. Anne seems distracted and keeps wanting to open the drier, but she doesn't lag to Jim when he notices she is sweating. The solicitor appointed by Anne's family tells her to expect a jail sentence. Vera overhears him tell Anne that the only Megan her family know is Anne's daughter, and she has been dead for years. Meg objects strongly to having armed officers on the roof when there are children around, and she goes to Erica to hand in her resignation. Anne is distraught after her solicitor's visit and Vera and Jim hear her muttering about someone being shut in the drier. When the officers go to the laundry to investigate, Judy assumes this is proof that Anne has lagged after all. Bea points out that the real situation is even worse than that: Anne is clearly mad and she knows all about the escape plans. |
EPISODE 164Broadcast on Channel 5 Monday 24th November 1997 23:45 It becomes clear that Anne was the thief and Bea's attacker. Bob is pleased to learn of Meg's resignation.CREDITSMeg ~ Elspeth BallantyneJudy ~ Betty Bobbitt Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Jim ~ Gerard Maguire Doreen ~ Colette Mann Vera ~ Fiona Spence Margo ~ Jane Clifton Helen ~ Caroline Gillmer Gillespie ~ Wynn Roberts Anne ~ Rowena Wallace Bob Morris ~ Anthony Hawkins Mouse ~ Jentah Sobott Dr Weissman ~ Bryon Williams Weasel ~ Colin Vancao OTHER CHARACTERSBank Teller (who I think is James Wright)Irene can be seen as a background prisoner The episode is inadvertently "dated" by a clear shot of the cheque Helen writes - 29/09/80 | The story Anne tells Jim and Vera is very confused, and she eventually agrees she made the whole thing up. She is returned to the laundry where she starts to talk again about her friend Megan. When she tells the women about finding Megan dead and the doctors describing it as a cot death, it becomes obvious she's talking (at least in part) about a baby. Anne says that she named her baby after her best friend, but now no-one can help her as they are both dead. Vera can't persuade Meg to change her mind and take back her resignation. The women try to pretend that the escape plan was just a joke, but Anne isn't convinced and flies into a rage. Bea realises it was Anne who attacked her. Later on, Anne has returned to "normal" and helps Lizzie with her lines. Meg talks to Bob about being born in prison: she says her mother was given a 5 year sentence during the war for black market activities and her father was a US soldier. Judy gets Anne to stand in as Prince Charming to show Margo how it should be done, but Vera cuts Anne down to size by reminding her that her family had disinherited her. Anne now admits she stole the money to all the women in the rec room. Judy passes the information on to Bea, and they work out how to manipulate Anne's behaviour, as she seems to lose control either when ordered about or left out and ignored. Helen demands free driving licences from Weasel, as he was already paid for Judy's passport. Anne overhears the women discussing what they would have to do to provoke her and get her transferred: she cannily manages to recover her self-possession and not react to their taunts. Vera calls on Meg at home and tells her again she shouldn't have resigned. Helen dons a blond wig and does a passable imitation of Doreen to get the bank to cash her a cheque for $3,000. The women try to get Anne to talk about Megan in front of Vera, but Anne cheerfully admits she made the whole thing up. Vera tells the women that Meg has resigned. Meg gets a note from Marty to say he can't come to her wedding and is on a ship with the Navy. Bea alerts Meg to Anne's condition and asks her to talk to Anne, and asks permission from Erica to perform a rehearsal of the pantomime for Meg, outside if possible... The women's outside clothes are wrapped in newspaper with Meg's wedding present. Bea stirs up Anne and gets her to attack Vera: this acts as a diversion while Judy hides the clothes down the drain. Dr Weissman interviews Anne: she tells him she was kept away from school until the age of 14 and given a dictatorial private tutor. Doreen and Lizzie plead with Meg not to leave. Gillespie overrules Erica and Meg's wishes to have Anne transferred to a psychiatric hospital, though he agrees to have her let out of solitary, despite her attack on Vera. Lizzie gives Meg the book she found in the library as a farewell present. Meg tells Erica she's changed her mind and doesn't want to resign after all. Bea is annoyed with Lizzie for giving Meg the book, as their escape plans would be given away by the notes she had made on some of the pages. |
EPISODE 165Broadcast on Channel 5 Tuesday 25th November 1997 23:55 Excitement mounts as the preparations for both pantomime and escape continue.CREDITSMeg ~ Elspeth BallantyneJudy ~ Betty Bobbitt Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Jim ~ Gerard Maguire Doreen ~ Colette Mann Vera ~ Fiona Spence Bob Morris ~ Anthony Hawkins Gillespie ~ Wynn Roberts Mouse ~ Jentah Sobott Anne ~ Rowena Wallace Margo ~ Jane Clifton Tracey ~ Sue Devine Helen ~ Caroline Gillmer Phyllis ~ Reylene Pearce Off. Powell ~ Judith McGrath Minister ~ Patrick Amer  Rental Attendant ~ Noel Brown Weasel ~ Colin Vancao UNCREDITEDHazel ~ Belinda DaveyOTHER CHARACTERSIrene (who dies, as she lived, uncredited..)Wedding Photographer  | Rehearsals and preparations for the escape continue in the laundry. Meg packs up ready for the move out of her flat, and is just about to look through Lizzie's book when Vera arrives. Bea warns Doreen she can't stay with Judy for long after they escape, and that they should split up quickly for both their sakes. Lizzie is having second thoughts and considers escaping along with Doreen. Gillespie is on duty opening the security gates in the morning, as many of the officers are going to Meg's wedding. Erica and Vera help Meg with her make-up, though Vera overdoes the grey eye shadow, and Meg ends up looking like a bush baby. Weasel responds to Helen's veiled threats to have him beaten up and hands over the driving licenses. Colleen Powell is told by Gillespie that she will have to work unpaid overtime on the day of the pantomime. Bea is worried that she won't be able to get new batteries for her torch, but Lizzie says she'll arrange it. Anne offers to help, and Bea is alarmed when it becomes clear that she means with the escape rather than the panto. Meg arrives at the church to find Bob is still outside, but this is only a minor hitch as Tracey is late arriving. After the car from Barnhurst draws up, the wedding goes ahead. Lizzie steals the batteries for Bea from a radio in a staff room locker, and narrowly escapes being caught by Gillespie. As he and Colleen approach the staff room they are discussing the posting of officers on the roof. Lizzie passes this on to the women: Judy wants to call the escape off, but Bea says to wait and see. The sets are put up inside the marquee, which gives Margo enough time to work out that the manhole cover isn't visible from the roof over the top of the tent. Judy writes a note to Erica to explain the reasons for the escape. Helen hires a van (in disguise as a lesbian, making obvious reference to her girlfriend). During the performance, Gillespie hangs around backstage, worrying Bea and Judy. Helen parks the van near where the tunnel comes out. Lil is given the job of planting a ladder and blanket to make it look as though the escape was over the fence. Cinderella appears veiled in the final wedding scene, so Phyllis takes Doreen's place and Hazel substitutes for Mouse. Judy, Doreen, Mouse and Irene take in turns to make a run from the marquee to the drain. As another prisoner  replaces the drain cover, she notices Anne has been watching all the time. Doreen is scared of the tunnels and wants to turn back, but Judy forces her to go on. Lizzie finds Doreen's teddy backstage and Anne offers to help her get down the tunnel to follow Doreen. The women hear someone following them, but only Doreen is pleased to see that it's only Lizzie: Judy points out she has no street clothes, and a geriatric in a pink tutu isn't going to last long on the outside. Anne helps Bea to get down the drain to bring Lizzie back, but after replacing the drain cover, Anne fetches a wheelbarrow of rubbish and uses it to hide the tunnel entrance and prevent anyone getting back up. The women hear Bea calling and wait for her to catch up and take Lizzie back, but as they set off again Irene grabs hold of an unsafe roof beam which gives way and the tunnel roof caves in, crushing her and trapping the other women  . |
This episode was the cliffhanger at the end of the original 1980 season
Script Editor: Ian Smith (161); Patrick Amer (162)-(163); Ian Smith (164)-(165)
Storyliners: Dave Worthington, Alastair Sharp
| (156) to (161) |
