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55-1352: Host: Host: Shane Bourne Host: Gerry Connolly and Ernie Dingo Host: Wendy Harmer Host: Andrew Denton featuring Magda Szubanski Host: Julia Morris featuring Bruno Lucia Host: Judith Lucy and Shane Bourne Host: Paul McDermott Source: Host: Rove McManus Source: Host: Lano & Woodley Source: Host: Jimeoin Source: Host: Wil Anderson Source: Host: Dave Hughes Source: Host: Magda Szubanski Source: Host: Dave Hughes Source: Host: Adam Hills Source: Host: Peter Helliar Source: Host: Paul McDermott Source: Host: Shaun Micallef Source: Host: Kitty Flanagan Source: Host: Josh Thomas Source: Host: Sammy J & Randy Source: Host: Dave Hughes Source: Host: Eddie Perfect Source: Host: Joel Creasey Source: Host: Celia Pacquola Source: Host: Wil Anderson Source: Host: Matt Okine Source: Shane Bourne Shane Jerome Bourne (born 24 November 1949)

110-620: A Prisoner clip from its second episode (Franky Doyle and Lynn Warner's fight in the garden) appeared on the BBC sitcom Birds of a Feather , and the series was mentioned several times during Birds of a Feather 's seven-and-a-half-year run. The theme song was played briefly in episode three of BBC sitcom One Foot in the Grave . Prisoner has also been referenced in British sitcoms 2point4 Children , Absolutely Fabulous and Two Pints of Lager and

165-644: A parody of Prisoner 's kitschier aspects, toured and had a West End run in 1995 and 1997. Val Lehman (Bea) was critical of the production, questioning why a drag queen would be in a women's prison. Due to Prisoner 's popularity in the UK during the late 1980s, its British fan club organised personal-appearance tours for several actresses including Val Lehman (Bea Smith), Carol Burns (Franky Doyle), Betty Bobbitt (Judy Bryant), Sheila Florance (Lizzie Birdsworth), Amanda Muggleton (Chrissie Latham) and Judy McBurney (Pixie Mason). A TV special, The Great Escape ,

220-763: A 'Season number / Episode Number' format. A stage version of Prisoner , based on the original scripts, was produced in 1989 and toured the United Kingdom. Elspeth Ballantyne (Meg Morris) and Patsy King (Erica Davidson) reprised their characters and Glenda Linscott (Rita Connors) played a new character, Angela Mason. A second tour, with Fiona Spence ( Vera Bennett ) and Jane Clifton (Margo Gaffney), followed in 1990; Jacqui Gordon (Susie Driscoll) played new character Kath Evans. A musical version followed, with Maggie Kirkpatrick reprising her role as Joan (the Freak) Ferguson and Lily Savage as an inmate. The musical,

275-464: A Packet of Crisps , as well as the soap operas Coronation Street , Brookside and EastEnders . Prisoner was shown on the ITV network in the UK, but was not simulcast nationally. It began airing on Yorkshire Television on 8 October 1984. Some ITV stations cut some of the more violent scenes (including the attempted hanging of Sandy Edwards and the hanging of Eve Wilder). Some also heavily edited

330-505: A Prison Chaplin from San Quentin. In 2023 Mulholland departed the podcast to focus on his art and it was announced that filmmaker Tim Burns had joined as the new co-host of the podcast. There have been several tie-in books and video and DVD releases. Prisoner 's theme song (" On the Inside ", sung by Lynne Hamilton ) reached number four in Australia in 1979 and peaked at number three on

385-419: A considerable gap in the middle of the run, resulting viewers not seeing the conclusion of some storylines. To rectify this, the continuity announcer relayed the plots of the missed episodes. In a comical nod to the low-budget production values of the show, the announcer would also often refer to the programme as: ‘…the wobbly walls of Wentworth’. When Border, Grampian and Granada TV screened the final episode in

440-541: A group of shearers, and seductive prostitute Gladys "Marilyn" Mason ( Margaret Laurence ), who seduced prison electrician Eddie Cook ( Richard Moir ). The prison officers (or "screws", as the prisoners call them) included firm-but-fair well-heeled governor Erica Davidson (Patsy King); dour deputy governor Vera Bennett ( Fiona Spence ), who was always wanting to become Governor and was nicknamed "Vinegar Tits" by Franky; and firm but compassionate senior officer Meg Jackson (later Morris) (Elspeth Ballantyne). Early episodes featured

495-406: A high level of violence: Lynn Warner's burning in a steam press; a prisoner hanging herself in her cell; a fatal stabbing ; and a flashback sequence triggered by the time Karen Travers stabbed her abusive husband to death in the shower. The series' first major story arc was the turf war between Bea and Franky, in a bid to become the prison's "Top Dog" (unofficial leader), culminating by episode 3 in

550-560: A minor character in the early episodes, returned in a more central antagonistic role and a male deputy governor, Jim Fletcher ( Gerard Maguire ), joined the female-dominated cast. Ratings had been declining for some time, and when they continued to fall in 1986, Network Ten decided in July not to renew the series. Production ended on 5 September, and the final episode aired in Melbourne on 11 December 1986. The producers had several weeks' notice that

605-564: A positive reception. Initially conceived as a standalone miniseries of 16 episodes, its popularity meant it was developed into an ongoing series. It has since endured worldwide, acquiring cult classic status, particularly for its occasionally outrageous plotlines. Prisoner was created by Reg Watson, who had produced the British soap opera Crossroads from 1964 to 1973 and then the Australian soaps The Young Doctors and (post- Prisoner ) Sons and Daughters and Neighbours . Inspired by

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660-962: A remand prisoner to "top dog". The series is filmed at a new, purpose-built prison set in the Melbourne suburb of Clayton . Wentworth features contemporary versions of vintage characters along with new characters. Other characters and cast members include crime matriarch Jacs Holt ( Kris McQuade ), Liz Birdsworth ( Celia Ireland ), Doreen Anderson ( Shareena Clanton ), Franky Doyle ( Nicole da Silva ), Sue "Boomer" Jenkins ( Katrina Milosevic ), social worker Erica Davidson ( Leeanna Walsman ), officer Will Jackson ( Robbie Magasiva ), officer Matthew Fletcher ( Aaron Jeffery ), deputy governor Vera Bennett ( Kate Atkinson ), and governor Meg Jackson ( Catherine McClements ), and later included Linda Miles ( Jacquie Brennan ), Joan Ferguson ( Pamela Rabe ), Sean Brody (Rick Donald), Greg Miller ( David de Lautour ), Marie Winter ( Susie Porter ), and Rita Connors ( Leah Purcell ). None of

715-460: A revived Blankety Blanks , which lasted only two seasons. He also had dramatic roles; he was in 3 episodes of the drama series Prisoner in the early 1980s as 3 different guest roles, and had a guest role in The Flying Doctors in 1995. Bourne made a change to dramatic acting and has been critically acclaimed. After a two-episode guest appearance on Blue Heelers in 2000, he took

770-434: A riot where Meg was held hostage and her husband—prison social worker Bill Jackson ( Don Barker )—was stabbed to death by inmate Chrissie Latham ( Amanda Muggleton ). Prisoner premiered in Australia on 27 February 1979. Its success prompted the producers to extend the series, first from 16 to 20 episodes and then indefinitely. The production schedule increased from one- to two-hour-long episodes per week; Carol Burns left

825-605: A self-titled album in 1976 via Rainbird/Tempo, with a top-100 single "Living off the Radio" issued in March 1976. According to Australian musicologist Ian McFarlane , Bandicoot "mixed good-time rock'n'roll, blues, country and pop but failed to chart." Bandicoot toured for a year with Bourne and Fettes joined by Bruno De Stanislo on bass guitar, Mick Elliot on guitar, Peter Reed on drums and Tony Vikaris on guitar. They disbanded in May 1977. Bourne

880-482: A shower scene that was a nod to Alfred Hitchcock 's classic Psycho ), whilst Warner insisted she was innocent despite her conviction for the abduction and attempted murder of a child. Both women were sent to the prison's maximum-security wing (H Block), where they were horrified by their new surroundings. Karen was confronted with a former lover—prison doctor Greg Miller ( Barry Quin )—and was sexually harassed by violent lesbian cellmate Franky Doyle ( Carol Burns ). Lynn

935-487: Is an Australian stand-up comedian , actor, musician, and television host. Shane Jerome Bourne was born on 24 November 1949 in Melbourne , Victoria . He was raised by his mother Moreen "Pixie" ( née Freeman, 1915–2000), a former model, with his younger brother Dannie. Their father Stan Bourne, who was a musician and entertainer, left the family home when Bourne was seven. Bourne co-founded an Australian pop, rock band Bandicoot in early 1976 with Mick Fettes (formerly of

990-401: Is available on DVD format in both Australia and the United Kingdom. On Region 4 in Australia, distribution company Shock Records released the series over forty volumes, and a complete collection, comprising these volumes; the UK editions, from FremantleMedia , made the series available over twenty volumes (doubling-up on the Australian sets). In 2016, ViaVision acquired the rights to re-release

1045-527: The 2011 Logie Awards . In 2012, Bourne appeared in the short-lived drama Tricky Business , that aired on Channel Nine . He also starred in the telemovie The Great Mint Swindle . In early 2014, he hosted the AACTA Awards on Channel Ten . In June 2015, Bourne played the role of Evan Pettyman, a minor character in The Dressmaker . The same year, he also joined the fifteenth season of Dancing with

1100-557: The Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance and represented by cast member Val Lehman (Bea Smith), which saw the cast go on strike due to the content in the United States: soft-core pornography at odds with the series. Six books were published: Prisoner: Cell Block H , The Franky Doyle Story , The Karen Travers Story , The Frustrations of Vera , The Reign of Queen Bea and The Trials of Erica . Two behind-the-scenes books were published in

1155-468: The UK Singles Chart in 1989. "On the Inside" was re-released as a digital download and CD single in March 2012. The song was featured as a B-side on punkabilly group The Living End 's EP, Second Solution / Prisoner of Society . There have been numerous publications on the series, including tie-in paperback novels, including publication's by Pinnacle Books , which in 1980, led by the actors union

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1210-550: The British television drama Within These Walls , the show was initially conceived as a 16-episode series, with a pilot episode bearing the working title "Women Behind Bars". Its storylines focused on the lives of the prisoners and, to a lesser extent, the officers and other prison staff. When the initial episodes met an enthusiastic reception, it was felt that Prisoner could be developed into an ongoing soap opera. The early storylines were developed and expanded, with assistance from

1265-688: The Stars as the new co-host alongside Edwina Bartholomew , replacing Daniel MacPherson . At the AFI Awards in 2003 and 2005, Bourne won the Best Actor in a Television Drama award for his role in MDA , and was nominated for the same award in 2002. At the 2003 Logies , he was nominated for the Most Outstanding Actor award for his role in MDA . Prisoner (TV series) Prisoner (known in

1320-516: The UK and the US as Prisoner: Cell Block H and in Canada as Caged Women ) is an Australian television soap opera , which was broadcast on Network Ten (formerly the 0-10 Network) from February 27 (Melbourne) and February 26 (Sydney) 1979 to December 1986 (Melbourne), running eight seasons and 692 episodes. Prisoner was the first Australian series to feature a primarily female-dominated cast and carried

1375-541: The UK during the early 1990s. Prisoner: Cell Block H – Behind the Scenes was written by Terry Bourke and published by Angus & Robertson Publishers, who published similar books about soap opera's Neighbours and Home and Away . Bourke documents the show's genesis and development, and the book has many stills and character profiles. Hilary Kingsley's Prisoner Cell Block H – The Inside Story emphasises more on plot and characters. A limited-edition book, The Inside Story ,

1430-583: The UK in the mid-1990s, continuity announcer John McKenzie conducted a telephone interview with Maggie Kirkpatrick (Joan "the Freak" Ferguson). Prisoner was part of Channel 5 's schedule when it launched in 1997. The series returned to the UK in September 2023 after 22 years when it was added to the channel's streaming service My5 . It was also briefly aired from the beginning on 5Select from 20 December 2023, until 1 January 2024, ceasing broadcast at episode 20. It

1485-455: The United States and Canada (billed as Prisoner: Cell Block H and Caged Women , respectively). It also built a large audience in the United Kingdom and other European countries, especially Sweden. Sammy Davis Jr. was a major fan and visited the set, and wanted to appear in a role, but had other engagements at the time. The cult status of the series has seen many adaptations, including

1540-536: The Victorian Corrective Services Department . The show's themes, often radical , included feminism , lesbian issues, and social reform. Prisoner began in early 1979 with the advertising slogan, "If you think prison is hell for a man, imagine what it's like for a woman". The series examined how women dealt with incarceration and separation from their families and friends, and the common phenomenon of released inmates re-offending . Within

1595-464: The band Madder Lake ) both on lead vocals. They had met at John Pinder 's Reefer Cabaret concerts, where Bourne often acted as compere and/or performed stand-up comedy. The group's songs were co-written by Bourne and Fettes. Fellow musicians were his brother Dannie Bourne on keyboards or piano (from Pantha ), Ross Davis on guitar, Kerry McKenna on guitar (from Madder Lake) and Gary Young on drums (ex- Daddy Cool , Hot Dog). Bandicoot released

1650-473: The closing year, Nicki Paull 's character Lisa Mullins was taken over by Terrie Waddell . Viewers' introduction to the Wentworth Detention Centre featured the arrival of two new prisoners, Karen Travers ( Peta Toppano ) and Lynn Warner ( Kerry Armstrong ). Travers was charged with murdering her husband in a crime of passion after he was found in bed with another woman (her flashback featured

1705-524: The course of its run, compared to 692 episodes for Prisoner ), but surpassed it in the number of years on air. Thirteen actors who appeared in Prisoner also appeared in Wentworth in a guest capacity. These included Sigrid Thornton , who was in the original series as Ros Coulson, joining the Wentworth cast to play Sonia Stevens. In an ironic twist, Tina Bursill who originally played Sonia Stevens in Prisoner

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1760-576: The episode 326 fight scene with Joan Ferguson and Bea Smith, despite its time slot which was well past the 9 p.m. watershed . Some regions (such as Granada in the North-West of England) did not start to show the series until 1988, while the Ulster region in Northern Ireland was the final region of the ITV network to start broadcasting the series, in 1989. Border Television did not air some episodes, with

1815-599: The fictional suburb of Wentworth in Melbourne, Victoria, and follows the lives of the prisoners and staff within cell block H and, to a lesser extent, others on the outside such as family members, doctors and lawyers. Numerous scenes also took place outside the compound exploring the lives of the inmates and staff outside of the prison; in particular, "Driscoll House", a halfway house where inmates were housed after being released, or neighbouring correction institutions like Barnhurst (a lower-security country prison) and Blackmoor (an aged, yet high-security, prison). The series gained

1870-554: The lead role of lawyer 'Happy' Henderson (starring alongside Kerry Armstrong ) in the ABC TV legal-drama series MDA . The show ended after its third season in September 2005. This show won him 2 awards. He also played a minor role in the film Kokoda , an Australia WWII film about the Kokoda Track in which he played as the battalion's doctor. Bourne hosted the comedy television series Thank God You're Here from 2006 to 2009. When

1925-543: The modern 21st century re-imaging series Wentworth on Foxtel . Ian Bradley served as original producer and then executive producer, from series 2, whilst associate producer and screenwriter was Ian Smith , who appeared as an actor in the series as Head of the Department Ted Douglas, prior to becoming famous as the character Harold Bishop in Neighbours ; another screenwriter, Anne Lucas , also acted briefly in

1980-495: The original Prisoner cast were initially scheduled to appear in the first series, but on 29 November 2012 it was confirmed that Anne Charleston (who appeared in the original series) would make a guest appearance. Wentworth premiered in Australia on Foxtel's SoHo channel on 1 May 2013. Wentworth ended in 2021 after nine seasons. It did not surpass Prisoner in terms of number of episodes ( Wentworth produced only ten to twelve episodes per year culminating in 100 episodes over

2035-561: The original Australian series. In Dangerous Women , the emphasis was outside the prison, focusing on prisoner relationships in a halfway house. In 1997, Prisoner was revised in a German-language version, Hinter Gittern – Der Frauenknast ( Behind Bars ). The series ran from 1997 to 2007 for 16 series and 403 episodes. On June 18, 2021, producer Matt Batten created the Talking Prisoner podcast and YouTube channel. Batten's co-host Ken Mulholland served as head cameraman on Prisoner from

2090-725: The prison, major themes were interpersonal relationships, power struggles, friendships and rivalries. The prisoners became a surrogate family, with the self-styled "Queen Bea", Bea Smith and the elderly "Mum" (Jeanette) Brooks ( Mary Ward ) emerging as central matriarch figures. Several lesbian characters were introduced on the show, including prisoners Franky Doyle (played by Carol Burns ), Sharon Gilmour (played by Margot Knight ) and Judy Bryant (played by Betty Bobbitt ), lawyer Angela Jeffries (played by Jeanie Drynan ) and corrupt and sinister officer Joan Ferguson ( Maggie Kirkpatrick ). Characters and story exposition were often ' retconned ' in order to expand potential storylines. Initially there

2145-498: The series (Mum Brooks, Lynn Warner, Karen and Greg appeared beyond the initial sixteen episodes, but most had left by the end of the 1979 season; Greg left in early 1980), new characters arrived: hulking husband-beater Monica Ferguson ( Lesley Baker ), career criminal Noeline Bourke ( Jude Kuring ), troubled murderess Roslyn Coulson ( Sigrid Thornton ) and imprisoned mother Pat O'Connell ( Monica Maughan ), in addition to shorter-term inmates with brief storylines. Prostitute Chrissie Latham,

2200-517: The series a comedic twist. Other series to have featured Prisoner spoofs included The Paul Hogan Show , Let the Blood Run Free , Naked Video and The Krypton Factor . In 1991, Prisoner was reprised for the American market as Dangerous Women . The US version borrowed heavily from the Australian original for characters and was created and written by Reg Watson, who had also created

2255-399: The series debut until episode 692. Mulholland and Batten interview cast and crew from Prisoner in depth. The podcast however also features interviews with cast and crew from other popular Australian internationally successful series like Sons and Daughters and Neighbours , and also featured interviews from staff at actual prisons including a 2023 interview with a warder from Ireland and

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2310-517: The series in Australia and made the decision to release the series in their original season formats. See above for a full listing of VHS and DVD sets available. The following is an overview of Prisoner releases in their seasons formats. The use of the term 'season' is a recent phenomena - perhaps tied to DVD releases. During its original run, Prisoner was considered a continuing series. Continuous episode numbers (1–692) were used on production materials such as scripts and production schedules, rather than

2365-425: The series playing prison bookie Faye Quinn. The series is loosely based on British prison drama series Within These Walls , although it focuses more on the prisoners or inmates, rather than the prison staff led by officious governor Faye Boswell, played by Googie Withers , who was even approached by producers of Prisoner to play the governor. The series is set in the fictional Wentworth Detention Centre in

2420-609: The series was ending, enabling them to construct strong concluding storylines (including the ultimate defeat of Joan "the Freak" Ferguson). Prisoner 's final episodes dealt with the redemption of the misunderstood Kath Maxwell and concluded the ongoing dynamic between Rita Connors (played by Glenda Linscott ) and Joan Ferguson ( Maggie Kirkpatrick ). For extended cast list see article: Prisoner cast list Days and times listed are for Network Ten Melbourne Station ATV-10 , days and times may vary in other regions of Australia. A pilot for an unproduced American version of Prisoner

2475-520: The show after 20 episodes, feeling that she could not continue playing Franky Doyle with the tighter schedule. Her storyline sees her as an escapee from Wentworth with fellow inmate Doreen Anderson, and after being on the run for three weeks, she is shot dead by a policeman. New story arcs were introduced. Karen Travers appealed against her sentence and was eventually released, allowing her to resume her relationship with Greg Miller and becoming involved in prison reform. As original characters began leaving

2530-592: The show was revived in 2023, he was succeeded by Celia Pacquola . In 2006, he hosted How the Hell Did We Get Here? , a series that aired on ABC TV. Bourne began acting in the Channel Seven drama series, City Homicide on 27 August 2007. He appeared on the show until its axing after season 5, in 2011. Bourne participated in Who Do You Think You Are? in 2010. The following year, he hosted

2585-502: The slogan "If you think prison is hell for a man, imagine what it would be like for a woman!" The series, produced by the Grundy Organisation , was conceived by Reg Watson and filmed at the then Network Ten Melbourne Studios at Nunawading and on location. The series garnered an international cult following , and it was one of Australia's most successful media exports, exported to 80 countries, performing particularly well in

2640-448: Was a men's prison "next door" to Wentworth, but it was never mentioned again after the early episodes. Barnhurst was originally a co-ed prison, soon becoming a women's facility. Its security status varied considerably, with it being described as an 'open prison farm' by the end of the run; although it was often described as "low-security", serial murderers Bea Smith and Marie Winter were housed there for long periods. Although Blackmoor Prison

2695-490: Was a well-known comedic face throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with an acting role on the Australian version of the British sitcom, Are You Being Served? (in 1980 and 1981). He had regular appearances on the variety program Hey Hey It's Saturday (1988–1994) in various sketches, but mainly appeared on the Great Aussie Joke segment. He starred in the short-lived sitcom Bingles in 1992 and 1993. In 1996, Bourne hosted

2750-531: Was cast in the final series of Wentworth as Eve Wilder. In 1980 Saturday Night Live aired a parody of the series, "Debs Behind Bars". In the sketch, the inmates (including guest host Teri Garr ) are spoiled debutantes who complain about "icky" living conditions in prison. During the early 1990s, Seven Network's comedy sketch program Fast Forward parodied Prisoner ; Gina Riley (Bea Smith), Jane Turner (Lizzie Birdsworth), Magda Szubanski (Doreen) and Marg Downey as officer (Joan Ferguson) gave scenes from

2805-617: Was initially described as a brand-new, state-of-the-art maximum-security prison, it was depicted as a Victorian-era workhouse when finally seen. Wentworth was variously described as either new or built during World War II , with aged infrastructure. During the show's run, several recurring characters were played by multiple actresses and actors. Meg Jackson's (later Morris) ( Elspeth Ballantyne ) son and stepdaughter, Marty Jackson and Tracey Morris, were each played by multiple actors—Ronald Korosy, Andrew McKaige , and Michael Winchester as Marty, and Sue Devine and Michelle Thomas as Tracey. In

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2860-608: Was ostracised by the other prisoners because of her crime (prisoners are known for their intolerance of offenders against children) and terrorised by Bea Smith, who burnt her hand in the laundry's steam press in one of the series' most iconic early scenes. Other, less-volatile, prisoners included elderly garden-loving Jeanette "Mum" Brooks ( Mary Ward ), who was incarcerated for the euthanasia of her husband who had terminal cancer, teddy-clutching misfit and childlike Doreen Anderson ( Colette Mann ), alcoholic former cook recidivist Lizzie Birdsworth ( Sheila Florance ), who apparently poisoned

2915-512: Was produced by Lorimar in 1980, entitled Willow B: Women in Prison . The cast included Ruth Roman , Virginia Capers , Carol Lynley , and Sally Kirkland . The pilot aired on ABC-TV on 29 June 1980. In March 2012, it was announced that Foxtel would produce a contemporary "re-imagining" of Prisoner , titled Wentworth , set in modern-day Australia. Wentworth recounts the rise of Bea Smith ( Danielle Cormack ) from her arrival at Wentworth as

2970-845: Was produced in 1990. The programme, which featured Val Lehman, Sheila Florance, Amanda Muggleton and Carol Burns on their 1990 UK visit, includes extensive footage of their on-stage interview with TV presenter Anna Soubry in which the cast members discuss their time on the series. Recorded at the Derby Assembly Rooms in Derby , it was briefly available in the UK on VHS video. Several Prisoner actors have appeared in British stage drama and pantomime, including Val Lehman ( The Wizard of Oz , Beatrix Potter and Misery ), Peta Toppano , Fiona Spence, Maggie Dence (Bev Baker), Debra Lawrance (Daphne Graham), Linda Hartley (Roach Waters), Ian Smith (Ted Douglas) and Maggie Millar (Marie Winter). In 1997,

3025-448: Was published in 2007 as part of the full-series DVD release in Australia. Written by TV journalists Andrew Mercado and Michael Idato, the commemorative book has the series' background, year-by-year storylines, character details and quotes by cast and crew. It was available as part of The Complete Collection DVD set. There are also several published autobiographies, biographies and memoirs of cast members: The complete series of Prisoner

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