EPISODES (461) TO (465)

EPISODE 461 Broadcast on Channel 5 Friday 05 February 1999 04:40 Myra is at her wits' end over Kay's disappearance, while Judy tries to clear Cass's name. CREDITS Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Judy ~ Betty Bobbitt Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Ann ~ Gerda Nicholson Myra ~ Anne Phelan Reb ~ Janet Andrewartha Dennis ~ Nigel Bradshaw Rachel ~ Kim Trengove Leigh ~ Virginia Hey Marlene ~ Genevieve Lemon Marie ~ Maggie Millar Heather ~ Victoria Nicolls Alan Desmond ~ Peter Craig Kay Desmon ~ SallyAnn Bourne Lou ~ Louise Siversen Off. Barry ~ Joy Westmore Rocky ~ Barry Saloman Mandy ~ Tatiana Ohotin Skinner ~ Mark Nicholls Manager ~ George Vidalis Roland Van Dyke ~ Barry Michael Officer Bill Watson ~ Bill Maine Chrissie ~ Kathy Duckes Written by Fay Rousseaux & Sally Webb Directed by Colin Budds Maggie Millar's name is misspelt as "Miller" in the credits for both this and the next episode. These are Kay's friends but don't the credits imply they ought to be two men and one woman? (Rocky, Mandy and Skinner)

Joan reports finding Phyllis with her skull bashed in, and blames Cass because of the statue she made for the fete being found by the body. Ann is annoyed that Joan has pre-empted her by reporting Cass's commitment to the women. Lou and Reb give each other alibis: Judy is outraged that the blame seems to be falling on Cass. Joan makes Lou clean up the "mess" in the shower block. Myra phones Alan: he doesn't know where Kay is, but promises to bring her money and clothes to the hotel. Lou works out that it was Reb who bashed Phyllis. Judy overhears Joan's sarcastic comment to Reb that Cass did her a favour by bashing Phyllis, and accuses her of responsibility for Bobbie's miscarriage. Reb tries to shift the blame and says it was Phyllis was responsible for the drugs. Judy plots with Leigh and Rachel to get Reb to confess, by playing on Reb's guilty conscience. Myra goes looking for Kay at place suggested by Alan but is turned away by her friends after they recognise her as the escapee from Wentworth. Marlene Warren is brought to Wentworth and put in the cell Phyllis has just vacated. Heather Rogers starts as a new officer and introduces herself to Dennis in the rec room, cheered up by the fact that he has only a few days start on her. Joan takes Marlene down a peg for two for not making her bed as she ordered and announces (mainly for Reb's benefit) that Phyllis has suffered permanent brain damage and will not be coming back. When Heather is introduced to the women in the laundry, Marlene recognizes her from school (as appropriately "Buck" to her "Rabbit") and tells her she was a bit dim at school. Roland pressurises Leigh to give an interview from prison: she tries to fire him but he reveals that he's taken Howard's place as a director of the company. The women agree Heather looks a bit green to be an officer, and Joan shows her contempt by asking at dinner duty if Heather trained as a waitress. Marie Winter is brought in : she seems very friendly with the policeman who accompanies her, and he says he has already searched her luggage. Thanks to her policeman friend, Marie has managed to smuggle cocaine into Wentworth in her soap dish. During a slack work period, Marie strolls into the laundry, pushes Judy off the press and announces she is the new top dog. Myra waits for Kay outside the place where she is staying and when Kay is thrown out of the house, Myra takes her to a hide-out in the country. Judy pretends to have a letter from Phyllis until Marie points out to Reb that the paper is blank. Kay explains to Myra how she got into taking drugs intravenously through friends in the music business. Marlene tricks Heather into thinking there has been a terrible accident by smearing tomato ketchup all over her cell: Joan soon sets her straight and sarcastically asks if she's ever been to a barbecue. Judy tries to get across to Marlene that practical jokes aren't appreciated, especially by officers. Marie tries to recruit Reb to sell her drugs for her. Judy catches Marlene putting black ink in her toothpaste, and makes her empty her pockets. She confiscates some red paint to smear on a statue which she hides in Reb's bed. Joan arrives home to find her house has been broken into.

EPISODE 462 Broadcast on Channel 5 Saturday 06 February 1999 04:40 Marie Winter begins her campaign to be top dog at Wentworth; Myra finds a safe place for Kay to sweat out her cold turkey; Joan undermines Ann and takes in a couple of strays. CREDITS Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Judy ~ Betty Bobbitt Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Ann ~ Gerda Nicholson Myra ~ Anne Phelan Reb ~ Janet Andrewartha Dennis ~ Nigel Bradshaw Bobbie ~ Maxine Klibingaitis Rachel ~ Kim Trengove Leigh ~ Virginia Hey Marlene ~ Genevieve Lemon Marie ~ Maggie Millar Heather ~ Victoria Nicolls Dot ~ Alethea McGrath Kay Desmond ~ SallyAnn Bourne Shane Munroe ~ Robert Summers Wally ~ Alan Hopgood Stuntwoman 1 ~ Sue Chong Stuntwoman 2 ~ Anthea Ro-ordink Mr Warren ~ John Proper Aggie ~ Glenda Walsh Gertie ~ Kerrie Lynn Officer ~ Lorraine Kindler Gordon Munroe ~ Jim Ewing Written by Betty Quin & James Simmonds Directed by Colin Budds I have changed the spelling "Munro" for Shane's surname so that it's the same as his father's.

Joan finds a boy asleep in her lounge. Reb confronts Judy with the statue, but Judy puts further pressure on her by accusing her of only being upset because she's missing her "friend" Phyllis. The boy tells Joan his name is Shane and he's run away from his father: Joan says she will have to phone the police but he begs her not to or his dog will be put down. Myra and Kay look up Wally: he takes them to a friend's house he's looking after and despite Myra's protests he decides to stay and help. Marie attempts to bribe Dennis to turn a blind eye to her drugs deliveries when he calls in to her cell to see how she's getting on. Joan gives Shane a meal and lets him stay the night: he tells her his father beats both his mother and him and shows her the bruises. Reb takes a shower fixed by Judy to turn red. When Judy taunts her and stops her getting out of the cubicle, Meg overhears her admission that she attacked Phyllis. Joan visits Shane's father and finds he is indifferent to Shane's welfare. Heather and Meg break up a fight in B block, thanks to a display of karate by Heather. Somehow the fight had been started by an argument about Dot Farrar's arthritis. Dennis tells Judy that Cass isn't coming back even though Reb's admission cleared her of the attack on Phyllis. Bobbie returns to Wentworth and is told about Cass: she is not pleased to be put to share a cell with Marlene. Dot is transferred to H block to share with Judy and immediately antagonises her by staking claim to her bed. Marlene's father visits her with a present and warns her to lay off the practical jokes. Marie threatens Bobbie as soon as she walks into the rec room. Ann objects to Joan reporting her to the Department over the security of the fete and her relationship with Jonathan Edmunds to the Department, but Joan adds as a parting shot that she has already prepared her application for Ann's job in case the interview goes against her. Marlene tells Judy her story: she had killed a driver throwing stones at cars. Dennis invites Heather to go out for dinner with him: they talk about how they got into the prison service and she tells him her father was in the police force. Joan finds Shane's dog Nicky poisoned: she calls a taxi to take him to the vet. Marlene loosens Marie's bed as a joke, and finds drugs hidden under the mattress: Marie catches her and closes the door to bash her.

EPISODE 463 Broadcast on Meridian Tuesday 30 July 1996; Channel 5 Sunday 07 February 1999 04:40 Marie makes threats against Heather Rodgers's family. Meg is taken hostage by her stepdaughter. And Joan uses Marie to make trouble for Ann. CREDITS Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Judy ~ Betty Bobbitt Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Ann ~ Gerda Nicholson Myra ~ Anne Phelan Reb ~ Janet Andrewartha Dennis ~ Nigel Bradshaw Leigh ~ Virginia Hey Bobbie ~ Maxine Klibingaitis Marlene ~ Genevieve Lemon Dot ~ Alethea McGrath Marie ~ Maggie Millar Heather ~ Victoria Nicolls Rachel ~ Kim Trengove Off. Barry ~ Joy Westmore Edna Pearson ~ Vivean Gray Wally ~ Alan Hopgood Kay Desmond ~ SallyAnn Bourne Tracey Morris ~ Michelle Thomas Mark Sanders ~ William Upjohn Shane Munroe ~ Robert Summers Vet (Terry Dickinson) ~ Peter Sinclair Nicky (Dog) ~ Himself Policewoman ~ Sue O'Neill Written by Ian Smith Directed by Mandy Smith Reb takes the place of Cass in the opening mugshot credits The fourth screen of credits (in italics above) is removed from cut versions of the episode to suppress any mention of Edna Pearson, all of whose (dialogue) scenes in this episode are cut.

Marie backs off from bashing Marlene when she begs her not to, and demands instead that Marlene gives her as much information on Heather as she knows, even apparently trivial stuff. Joan takes Shane's dog to the vet: he keeps the dog in overnight, but Nocky survives. Meg has a surprise visitor: her step-daughter Tracey, who tells her about Bob's new wife Tricia. She invites herself to stay with Meg while she's town. Marlene asks to be friends with Bobbie, but she is still bitter at the friends she's just lost. Heather decides she is going to stand up to Joan's sniping, and when she makes a catty remark she tells Joan to get off her back. Marie makes Judy work the drier, and finds out about Judy's pace-maker from Bobbie's protest. Kay has a bad time with withdrawal symptoms and has to be held down by Wally and Myra. Joan quizzes Dennis about children's homes and as a result of what he tells her, she becomes more determined to help Shane and keep him out of an institution. Marlene is put on a charge by Joan for putting too much powder in the washing machine and making it overflow. Judy apologises to Dennis for blaming him for Bobbie's miscarriage. Meg refuses to back Joan's charge: Joan warns her she expects Ann will soon be out and she will be Governor. Reb returns from solitary and agrees to deal drugs for Marie. Ann tells Meg that because of Joan's report to the Department she has been put on six week's notice and will get the sack if anything else goes wrong. Dennis apologise to Bobbie for hurting her. Ann takes up Marlene's suggestion that the women should have aerobics classes and puts her in charge of running one rather than punishing her. Judy is held against the drier by Marie when she objects to her drug dealing. Edna Pearson arrives at Wentworth having been found guilty of attempting to murder her husband: she is inducted by Joyce, who is sympathetic to her plight when she protests her innocence. Marlene slaps a notice on Heather's back reading "RUNNING IN PLEASE PASS", but Meg notices it and suggests she have a word with Marlene. Heather catches Marie hiding a cigarette packet under her pillow, but when challenged to hand it over, Marie issues veiled threats to get Heather's family. Meg arrives home and is introduced to Tracey's boyfriend Mark, who nervily pulls a gun on Meg. The women watch Leigh's interview on TV, which gives Marlene an idea to hold a fashion parade. Edna is taken to the rec room and introduced to the women. Heather tells Marlene not to play any more jokes on her, and finds out that she told Marie about her family. Joan is listening outside and tells her it isn't wise to get to know prisoners on a "social" level. The women talk to Edna about how unfair her conviction is. Mark and Tracey are using Meg's as a hide-out after a robbery on a TAB office: he has been out of work for 3 years because he's diabetic. Meg makes a run for the door when he leaves the room to inject his insulin: Tracey alerts Mark and he returns and knocks Meg out. Joan tells Marie to go ahead with the drug racket: in return she wants her to cause as much trouble for Ann as possible.

Episodes involving Edna Pearson were broadcast in a cut version in all regions of the UK apart from Meridian, which showed some of the the original versions, possibly due to some mistake on Grundy's part.

Channel 5 only managed to show two of the four original versions shown by Meridian.

Three of the episodes appear never to have been shown uncut in the UK. For reasons best known to themselves, Grundy supplied the original version of this episode (and of the other six too) to Channel One for showing in Malta in March 2000.

Thanks to all the people who provided me with the information about the scenes Grundy had to cut out.

EPISODE 464 Broadcast on Meridian Tuesday 06 August 1996; Channel 5 Tuesday 09 February 1999 04:40 Meg is freed from her captors, Marlene is beaten up under Joan's orders and Kay suffers withdrawal symptoms. CREDITS Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Judy ~ Betty Bobbitt Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Ann ~ Gerda Nicholson Myra ~ Anne Phelan Reb ~ Janet Andrewartha Dennis ~ Nigel Bradshaw Leigh ~ Virginia Hey Edna ~ Vivean Gray Bobbie ~ Maxine Klibingaitis Marlene ~ Genevieve Lemon Dot ~ Alethea McGrath Marie ~ Maggie Millar Heather ~ Victoria Nicolls Rachel ~ Kim Trengove Lou ~ Louise Siversen Frances ~ Wanda Davidson Wally ~ Alan Hopgood Kay Desmond ~ SallyAnn Bourne Shane Munroe ~ Robert Summers Tracey Morris ~ Michelle Thomas Mark Sanders ~ William Upjohn Harry Pearson ~ Denzil Howson Diedre Kean ~ Anne Charleston Roland van Dyke ~ Barry Michael Desk Clerk ~ David Bergin Policeman No 1 ~ Stephen Hutchinson Policeman No 2 ~ Steve Ahearn Nicky (Dog) ~ Himself Written by Marcus Cole & Ian Coughlan Directed by Mandy Smith

Tracey tends to Meg who sarcastically apologises for trying to escape. While searching Meg's handbag for her keys to stop her leaving, Tracey finds Meg's building society book and suggests to Mark that they withdraw all the money to supplement the takings from the robbery. Joan tries to discuss with Shane what he wants to do, but he refuses either to go back to his father or into a home. Marlene tries to get the women enthused with her idea for a fashion parade. Marie announces that her "pharmacy" is open for business with a special offer on cocaine. Joan tries to get Shane to go to school by suggesting he starts at a new one near her. Meg overhears Tracey talking to Mark and imply that she is willing to kill Meg if she has to (or more likely get Mark to do it for her).Shane tries to butter Joan up by making her breakfast in bed, but she says he still has to go to school. Judy and most of the other women believe Edna is innocent, but Reb tells them they are gullible: Judy retaliates by teasing Reb for teaming up with Marie after the last time she was involved in drugs. Tracey practices Meg's signature and Meg is forced to phone in sick to work and tell the building society she's coming in to close her account. Wally gets rid of the police who visit his house to investigate a complaint of noise made by a neighbour. Kay attempts to make an escape but Wally has the car keys. Meg smashes Mark's insulin bottle after Tracey leaves for the building society. Heather clumsily asks for Dennis's advice about being blackmailed by pretending to discuss a newspaper article about the hazards of being a prison officer. Joan turns a blind eye to Marie's deals in the laundry. Harry comes to visit Edna: he assures her the appeal will be successful and she will be out soon. Tracey buys a plane ticket. Meg tries to make Mark mistrust Tracey. Marie pins a caricature of Joan on Marlene's board , and waits cackling for Joan to find it. Reb is visited by her mother Diedre: she wants Reb to be reconciled with her father, who is seriously ill with multiple sclerosis. Reb refuses to see him. Ann tries to phone Meg at home, but Mark tells her not to answer. Ann cancels Marlene's visiting privileges for two weeks, even though she denies any knowledge of the caricature. Leigh's agent is so enthusiastic about the publicity arising from her interview: he offers to testify on her behalf to get her out of prison if she will co-operate with follow-up publicity. Mark is about to shoot himself when he realises Tracey is not coming back, but Meg nudges his arm. Reb finds Bobbie sniffling in her cell and offers a half-apology for the incident that led to her miscarriage, but Bobbie furiously rejects it. Marie puts more pressure on Heather to bring in drugs for her. Ann tells Joan and Dennis about Meg's ordeal, and that the police are still looking for Tracey. Rachel takes the aerobics class in place of Marlene, who is sulking in her cell. Joan sends Marie, Frances and Reb out of the rec room for their cynical comments then stands by while they bash Marlene at her instigation.

This episode lasts 42 minutes in the version previously seen in all ITV regions. However the credits were not adjusted in this case to reflect the fact that the only scene involving Harry Pearson had been removed. The original version was shown on Channel One in Malta.

Channel 5's version made an additional cut of approximately 50 seconds at the start of the scene indicated in bold above.

Joan: What are you doing up so early?
Shane: Aw, it was going to be a surprise.
Joan: What was?
Shane: Breakfast in bed.
Joan: Yeah, well it's still a surprise. You know, I can't remember when that last happened. Thank you, Shane. Well, I might as well just sit here and have it now that I'm up, eh?
Shane: Toast got a bit burnt.
Joan: Oh that's all right. I don't mind it a bit crisp.
Shane: I used to make breakfast for Mum in bed and give it to her on a tray. After Dad hit her and stuff.
Joan: Did you?
Shane: Yeah.
Joan: Well, where's yours?
Shane: Already had some. Reckon there was in it for more, though. (??) Y'know, I've been thinking. [Channel 5 version started here] That school, we don't want to rush things.

It is very difficult to see any reason why this had to be cut, and although it possibly came imediately after a natural ad break in the original (a reaction shot of Meg's horrified face), it is too long a cut to be explained away as a clumsily edited ad break on Channel 5's part.

EPISODE 465 Broadcast on Meridian Tuesday 13 August 1996; Channel 5 Wednesday 10 February 1999 04:40 Several rooms in the prison are wrecked. Myra rings Ann with news. And Joan launches a new scheme with Marie. CREDITS Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Judy ~ Betty Bobbitt Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Ann ~ Gerda Nicholson Myra ~ Anne Phelan Reb ~ Janet Andrewartha Dennis ~ Nigel Bradshaw Edna ~ Vivean Gray Leigh ~ Virginia Hey Bobbie ~ Maxine Klibingaitis Marlene ~ Genevieve Lemon Dot ~ Alethea McGrath Marie ~ Maggie Millar Heather ~ Victoria Nicolls Rachel ~ Kim Trengove Off. Barry ~ Joy Westmore Wally ~ Alan Hopgood Kay Desmond ~ SallyAnn Bourne Shane Munroe ~ Robert Summers Nicky (Dog) ~ Himself James Walker ~ Noel Maloney Mrs O'Reagan ~ Christine Calcutt Harry Pearson ~ Denzil Howson Roland van Dyke ~ Barry Michael Written by Betty Quin & Fay Rousseaux Directed by Steve Mann Christine Calcutt's surname is spelt "Culcutt" in the credits for this episode and the next.

Bobbie returns to her cell after the aerobics class and doesn't notice that Marlene has been bashed. Marie tells Reb about the plot to replace Ann with Joan. Shane agrees with Joan that they will both give up smoking. Edna tells Rachel that Harry will try to get her out and tells her about her first husband. Kay seems to be over the worst of her withdrawal systems. Marlene tells everyone her swollen face is due to toothache. Heather tells Dennis her brother has had an accident on his bike when a car forced him off the road, but doesn't want to report it to the police. Mrs O'Reagan is impressed with Rachel when she does kitchen duty, but when she finds out who Edna is, she goes the Governor to have her taken off kitchen duty. Heather hands over the drugs she brought in for Marie, but tells her she won't do it again: Marie tells her she ought to remember who's really got the upper hand. Edna protests to Ann that taking her out of the kitchen will make it look as if she's not to be trusted. Back in the kitchen, Marlene pretends to have been poisoned to teach Mrs O'Reagan a lesson, but this only results in being taken out of the kitchen as well. Heather goes to see Ann to offer her resignation: Ann assumes the problem is with Joan and says she should give it another couple of weeks. Myra phones Ann to tell her she isn't guilty of the crimes she's been accused of in the newspapers and is about to turn herself in: Ann hears Wally's voice in the background and realises he is helping Myra. Leigh sees her solicitor, who tells her that her lover did have the films at the time she attacked him and he thinks Roland has them now. Marlene rips up a skirt to convert it into a high fashion ensemble. The women listen to a radio interview with Harry Pearson, in which he repeats his belief in her innocence. Meg tells Ann the building society will replace her missing money as they were at fault. Edna makes an unwise remark in front of Marlene, and wromgly believes that Marlene has heard it. Joan is furious with Shane for staying out all night with his friends. Roland confirms he has the films and tells Leigh he will release them at the time of her trial if she doesn't do the publicity he wants. Dot is suffering from indigestion after lunch, and so is Marlene. Judy tries to help Marlene when she has to do a job for Marie. Edna is visited by Harry: he suggests she tries to get work in the garden and points out an oleander to her, reminding her as he does so that it is a poisonous plant. Dot and Bobbie find their cells wrecked, but Judy is suspicious that nothing is actually damaged. Ann tells Meg that Myra has returned and is in solitary: Joan brings her news that the rec room has been trashed as well as the library. Ann tells the women they will pay for the damage out of their wages. Judy confronts Marlene, who admits the damage but notes that Joan saw her and did nothing to prevent her. Judy realises that Joan is plotting to undermine Ann and take over from her. Joan orders Marie to start a full scale riot.

Substantial cuts indicated by italics were made to this episode, which lasted 37 minutes in the version shown on Granada and Channel 5. The original version was shown on Meridian.

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(466) to (470)