''Prisoner'' (known in the UK and the US as ''Prisoner: Cell Block H'') is an Australian television

soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...

, which broadcast on

Network Ten Network 10 (commonly known as Ten Network, Channel 10 or simply 10) is an Australian commercial television network owned by Ten Network Holdings, a division of the Paramount Networks UK & Australia subsidiary of Paramount Global. One of five ...

(originally The 0-10 Network) from February 27 (Melbourne) February 26 (Sydney) 1979 to December 1986 (Melbourne), though the series finale would not screen until September 1987 in Sydney, where it aired as a 3-hour film that was split into three 1-hour episodes at the much-later time-slot of 10.30pm, running eight seasons and 692 episodes. ''Prisoner'' was the first Australian series to feature a primarily female-dominated cast and carried the slogan "If you think prison is hell for a man, imagine what it would be like for woman!" The series, produced by the

Grundy Organisation Reg Grundy Organisation (founded as Reg Grundy Enterprises, later known as both Reg Grundy Productions and Grundy Television and known informally as Grundy's) was an Australian-based multinational mass media company, primarily involved in tele ...

, was conceived by

Reg Watson Reginald James Watson (27 August 1926 – 8 October 2019) was an Australian television producer and screenwriter. He was executive producer on ''Crossroads (British TV series), Crossroads'' and created Australian media exports serials such as ' ...

and filmed at the then Network Ten Melbourne Studios at

Nunawading Nunawading is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 18 km (11 miles) east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the Whitehorse local government area. Nunawading recorded a population of 12,413 at the 2021 cens ...

and on location. The series garnered an international

cult following A cult following refers to a group of fans who are highly dedicated to some person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The lattermost is often called a cult classic. ...

, and it was one of Australia's most successful media exports, performing particularly well in 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, most especially Sweden.

Sammy Davis Jr. Samuel George Davis Jr. (December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990) was an American singer, dancer, actor, comedian, film producer and television director. At age three, Davis began his career in vaudeville with his father Sammy Davis Sr. and the ...

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 the modern 21st century re-imaging series ''

Wentworth Wentworth may refer to: People * Wentworth (surname) * Judith Blunt-Lytton, 16th Baroness Wentworth (1873–1957), Lady Wentworth, notable Arabian horse breeder * S. Wentworth Horton (1885–1960), New York state senator * Wentworth Miller (born 1 ...

'' on Foxtel.

Background

Ian Bradley served as original producer and then executive producer, from series 2, whilst associate producer and screenwriter was

Ian Smith Ian Douglas Smith (8 April 1919 – 20 November 2007) was a Rhodesian politician, farmer, and fighter pilot who served as Prime Minister of Rhodesia (known as Southern Rhodesia until October 1964 and now known as Zimbabwe) from 1964 to ...

, who appeared as an actor in the series as Head of the Department Ted Douglas, prior to becoming famous as the character

Harold Bishop Harold Wayne Bishop is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Ian Smith. The actor was offered the role by the show's creator and executive producer Reg Watson. Smith made his first screen appearance as H ...

in ''

Neighbours ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera, which has aired since 18 March 1985. It was created by television executive Reg Watson. The Seven Network commissioned the show following the success of Watson's earlier soap '' Sons an ...

''; another screenwriter,

Anne Lucas Anne Shirley Lucas (born ) billed also as Annie Lucas, is a Malaysian-born Australian actress and TV screenwriter and script editor, best known for her roles on television including '' Bellbird'' as Glenda Chan, ''The Young Doctors'' from 19 ...

, also acted briefly in the series playing prison bookie Faye Quinn. The series is loosely based on British prison drama series ''

Within These Walls ''Within These Walls'' is a British television drama programme made by London Weekend Television for ITV and shown between 1974 and 1978. It portrayed life in HMP Stone Park, a fictional women's prison. Unlike later women-in-prison TV series, ...

'', although it focuses more on the prisoners or inmates, rather than the prison staff led by officious governor Faye Boswell, played by

Googie Withers Georgette Lizette Withers, CBE, AO (12 March 191715 July 2011), known professionally as Googie Withers, was an English entertainer who was a dancer and actress with a lengthy career spanning some nine decades in theatre, film, and television. ...

, who was even approached by producers of ''Prisoner'' to play the governor. The series is set in the fictional ''Wentworth Detention Centre'', in 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 half-way 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 a positive reception. Initially conceived as a stand-alone miniseries of 16 episodes, its popularity meant it was developed into an ongoing series. It has since endured worldwide, acquiring

cult classic A cult following refers to a group of fans who are highly dedicated to some person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The lattermost is often called a cult classic. ...

status, particularly for its somewhat outrageous acting and plotlines.

Creation and production

''Prisoner'' was created by Reg Watson, who had produced the British soap opera ''

Crossroads Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to: * Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet Film and television Films * ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa * ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...

'' from 1964 to 1973 and then the Australian soaps ''

The Young Doctors ''The Young Doctors'' is an Australian early-evening soap opera originally broadcast on the Nine Network and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation, it aired from Monday, 8 November 1976 until Wednesday, 30 March 1983. The series is primar ...

'' and '' Sons and Daughters'' and post-prisoner soap opera ''

'' Inspired by the British television drama ''

'', 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 the Victorian Corrective Services Department. The show's themes, often

radical Radical may refer to: Politics and ideology Politics *Radical politics, the political intent of fundamental societal change *Radicalism (historical), the Radical Movement that began in late 18th century Britain and spread to continental Europe and ...

, included

feminism Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...

LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is a ...

matters, 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 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 Mary Ward may refer to: Scientists and academics * Mary Ward (nurse) (1884–1972) English nurse to the boat people on the waterways * Mary Ward (scientist) (née King, 1827–1869) Irish amateur scientist, was killed by an experimental steam car ...

) emerging as central matriarch figures. Several lesbian characters were introduced on the show, including prisoners Franky Doyle (played by

Carol Burns Carol Ann Burns (29 October 1947 – 22 December 2015) was an Australian actress, theatre director and patron of the arts, with a career spanning 50 years. She worked extensively in theatre and television serials, as well as telemovies and min ...

) and Judy Bryant (played by

Betty Bobbitt Betty Ann Bobbitt (February 7, 1939 – November 30, 2020) was an American actress, director, singer, and playwright based in Australia, with a career that spanned over 60 years, encompassing theatre, television, and film. Bobbitt was best ...

), as well as corrupt and sinister officer Joan Ferguson (

Maggie Kirkpatrick Margaret Anne Kirkpatrick (née Downs; born 29 January 1941) is an Australian stage and screen actress who starred in the cult TV series ''Prisoner'' (otherwise known as ''Prisoner: Cell Block H'' in the UK and North America), where she was bes ...

Continuity

Characters and story exposition were often '

retconned Retroactive continuity, or retcon for short, is a literary device in which established diegetic facts in the plot of a fictional work (those established through the narrative itself) are adjusted, ignored, supplemented, or contradicted by a subse ...

' in order to expand potential storylines. Initially there 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 was initially described as a brand new, state-of-the-art maximum-security prison, it was depicted as a Victorian-era

workhouse In Britain, a workhouse () was an institution where those unable to support themselves financially were offered accommodation and employment. (In Scotland, they were usually known as poorhouses.) The earliest known use of the term ''workhouse'' ...

when finally seen. Wentworth was variously described as either new or built during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, with aged infrastructure. During the show's run, several recurring characters were played by multiple actresses and actors.Anderson, Scott. Campbell, Barry. Cope, Rob. Behind the Bars: The Unofficial Prisoner Cell Block H Companion. Tomahawk Press; UK ed. edition (12 August 2013). . Pages 49 & 60 Meg Jackson (later Morris) (

Elspeth Ballantyne Elspeth Ballantyne (born 20 April 1939) is an Australian retired actress, who appeared in productions in theatre, television and films over a career that spanned nearly 60 years, a veteran of the industry having started her career as a child a ...

) son and stepdaughter, Marty Jackson and Tracey Morris, were each played by multiple different actors—Ronald Korosy,

Andrew McKaige Andrew McKaige (born 1959) is an Australian actor, most prominent in television soap opera. As well as acting, McKaige is also a voice-artist and singer-songwriter, having played with the country rock band, The Fine Line. In 1994, he won secon ...

, and

Michael Winchester Michael Winchester is a Malaysian-born Australian actor, best known for being the third actor to play Marty Jackson in the television series ''Prisoner'', after Ronald Korosy and Andrew McKaige had played the character in earlier episodes. H ...

as Marty, and Sue Devine and Michelle Thomas as Tracey. In the closing year,

Nicki Paull Nicola Paull (born 1962 Queensland, Australia), is an Australian actress and a registered counsellor. Though predominantly known for her work on television, she has also appeared in films and on stage, as well as performing as a voice-over arti ...

's character Lisa Mullins was taken over by

Terrie Waddell Terrie Waddell is an Australian former actress best known for her role as Lisa Mullins in the television series ''Prisoner''. She replaced Nicki Paull, who left the role due to ill health. Waddell remained with the series until its final epis ...

Synopsis

Viewers' introduction to the Wentworth Detention Centre featured the arrival of two new prisoners, Karen Travers (

Peta Toppano Peita Margaret Toppano (born 1951)GRO Birth Index EnglandLawson, Valerie. , ''Sydney Morning Herald'' (13 December 2003): "They fell in love and married in 1950 in a church at Golders Green, London. Their daughter, Peta, was born a year later." ...

) and Lynn Warner (

Kerry Armstrong Kerry Michelle Armstrong (born 12 September 1958) is an Australian actress and author. She is one of only two actresses to win two Australian Film Institute Awards in the same year, winning Best Actress in a Leading Role for ''Lantana'' and B ...

). Travers was charged with murdering her husband in a crime of passion after he was found in-bed with another woman (her flashback featured a shower scene that was a nod to

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

'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 Barry Quin (born 1949) credited also as Barry Quinn, is a British-Australian actor and briefly producer who has appeared on stage and television and film, on the small screen he has featured in numerous TV series and mini-series, but he is best ...

)—and was sexually harassed by violent lesbian cellmate Franky Doyle (

). Lynn 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 who was incarcerated for the

euthanasia Euthanasia (from el, εὐθανασία 'good death': εὖ, ''eu'' 'well, good' + θάνατος, ''thanatos'' 'death') is the practice of intentionally ending life to eliminate pain and suffering. Different countries have different eut ...

of her husband who had terminal cancer, teddy-clutching misfit and childlike Doreen Anderson (

Colette Mann Colette Mann (born 17 February 1950) is an Australian actress, singer, TV and radio presenter, choreographer and author/writer and media personality, she has been in the entertainment industry for over 50 years. Mann appeared in two Grundy Orga ...

), alcoholic former cook recidivist Lizzie Birdsworth (

Sheila Florance Sheila Mary Florance (24 July 1916 – 12 October 1991) was an Australian theatre, television and film actress. She was best known for her performance as elderly, alcoholic convict Lizzie Birdsworth in the television series ''Prisoner''. F ...

), who apparently poisoned a group of shearers, and seductive prostitute Gladys "Marilyn" Mason (

Margaret Laurence Jean Margaret Laurence (née Wemyss; July 18, 1926 – January 5, 1987) was a Canadian novelist and short story writer, and is one of the major figures in Canadian literature. She was also a founder of the Writers' Trust of Canada, a non-pr ...

), who seduced prison electrician Eddie Cook (

Richard Moir Richard Moir (born 1950) is an Australian former actor and editor. He is known for many Australian film roles and in TV soap opera ''Prisoner'' (also known as ''Prisoner: Cell Block H'') as original character of electrician Eddie Cook and in chi ...

). The prison officers (or "screws", as the prisoners call them) included firm-but--heeled governor Erica Davidson (Patsy King); dour deputy governor Vera Bennett (

Fiona Spence Fiona Spence is an English Australian stage and television actress and drama teacher. She is known for her television roles including ''Prisoner'' (1979–81) as Gestapo like prison officer Vera Bennett and ''Home and Away'' as the unlucky in lo ...

), 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 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 inspired by which Karen Travers stabbed her abusive husband to death in the shower. The series' first major story arc was the

turf war A turf war is a fight over territory or resources, or may refer to: Music * ''Turf Wars'', a 2007 album by the Canadian band Daggermouth * "Turf War", a song on the 2001 album ''Filmtracks 2000'' by American composer Bill Television * ''Turf Wa ...

between Bea and Franky, in a bid to become the prison's "Top Dog" (unofficial leader), culminating by Episode 3 in 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 Amanda Lillian Muggleton (born 12 October 1951)"Muggleton, Amanda, 1951 ...

Series extension

''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 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 an officer New

story arc A story arc (also narrative arc) is the chronological construction of plot in a novel or story. It can also mean an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, board games, vide ...

s 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 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 Lesley Baker (born 20 January 1944) is an Australian actress, singer, dancer and comedian. She was well known for her early appearances on In Melbourne Tonight with Graham Kennedy. After which she went on to play several roles for Crawford Pr ...

), career criminal Noeline Bourke (

Jude Kuring Judith Kuring (born 23 November 1948) known Jude Kuring is an Australian actress who appeared in theatre, film and television during the late 1970s and early 80s. She remains best known for her stint as the recurring character of petty crimina ...

), troubled murderess Roslyn Coulson (

Sigrid Thornton Sigrid Madeline Thornton (born 12 February 1959) is an Australian film and television actress. Her television work includes ''Prisoner'' (1979–80), ''All the Rivers Run'' (1983), ''SeaChange'' (1998–2019) and ''Wentworth'' (2016–2018). S ...

) and imprisoned mother Pat O'Connell (

Monica Maughan Monica Cresswell Maughan (née Wood, 15 September 1933 – 8 January 2010) was an Australian actor with roles in theatre, radio, television, film and ballet over a career spanning 52 years. Early life and education She was born Monica Cresswell ...

), in addition to shorter-term inmates with brief storylines. Prostitute Chrissie Latham, a minor character in the early episodes, returned in a more central antagonistic role and a male deputy governor,

Jim Fletcher Jim or JIM may refer to: * Jim (given name), a given name * Jim, a diminutive form of the given name James * Jim, a short form of the given name Jimmy * OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism * ''Jim'' (comics), a series by Jim Woodring * ''Jim ...

(

Gerard Maguire Gerard Maguire (born 25 September 1945) also credited as Gerard McGuire, is an Australian actor, producer and screenwriter best known for his role in ''Prisoner'' as Deputy Governor, ''Jim Fletcher''. Often appearing on Australian television pol ...

), joined the female-dominated cast.

Final season

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 the series was ending, enabling them to construct strong concluding storylines (including the ultimate defeat of Joan "the Freak" Ferguson). ''Prisoner'' final episodes dealt with the redemption of the misunderstood Kath Maxwell and concluded the ongoing dynamic between Rita Connors (played by

Glenda Linscott Glenda Linscott (born 1958) is an Australian actress and director, born in Rhodesia of English descent, she is best known internationally for her performance in cult drama series ''Prisoner'' as tough bikie inmate and top dog Rita "The Beater" ...

) and Joan Ferguson (

Main Cast

For extended cast list see article: ''Prisoner'' cast list

Supporting cast

Broadcast sheet

Days and times listed are for

Melbourne Station

ATV-10 ATV is a television station in Melbourne, Australia, part of Network 10 – one of the three major Australian free-to-air commercial television networks. The station is owned by Paramount Networks UK & Australia. History In April 1963, the ...

, days and times may vary in other regions of Australia.

Spin-offs, remakes and specials

Spin-offs

''Willow B: Women in Prison''

A pilot for an unproduced American version of ''Prisoner'' was produced by

Lorimar Lorimar Productions, Inc., later known as Lorimar Television and Lorimar Distribution, was an American production company that was later a subsidiary of Warner Bros., active from 1969 until 1993, when it was folded into Warner Bros. Televisio ...

in 1980, entitled ''Willow B: Women in Prison''. The cast included

Ruth Roman Ruth Roman (born Norma Roman; December 22, 1922 – September 9, 1999) was an American actress of film, stage, and television. After playing stage roles on the east coast, Roman relocated to Hollywood to pursue a career in films. She appeare ...

Virginia Capers Eliza "Virginia" Capers (September 22, 1925 – May 6, 2004) was an American actress. She won the Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical in 1974 for her performance as Lena Younger in ''Raisin'', a musical version of Lorraine Hansberry's ...

Carol Lynley Carol Lynley (born Carole Ann Jones; February 13, 1942 – September 3, 2019) was an American actress known for her roles in the films ''Blue Denim'' (1959) and '' The Poseidon Adventure'' (1972). Lynley was born in Manhattan to an Irish ...

, and

Sally Kirkland Sally Kirkland (born October 31, 1941) is an American film, television and stage actress and producer. A former member of Andy Warhol's The Factory and an active member in 1960s New York avant-garde theater, she has appeared in more than 250 fi ...

. The pilot aired on ABC-TV on 29 June 1980.

''Wentworth''

In March 2012, it was announced that

Foxtel Foxtel is an Australian pay television company—operating in cable television, direct broadcast satellite television, and IPTV streaming services. It was formed in April 2018, superseding an earlier company from 1995. The service was establi ...

would produce a contemporary "re-imagining" of ''Prisoner'', ''

'', set in modern-day Australia. ''Wentworth'' recounts the rise of Bea Smith (

Danielle Cormack Danielle Cormack (born 26 December 1970) is a New Zealand stage and screen actress. She was one of the original cast members of the long-running soap opera ''Shortland Street'', though she is also known for her role as the Amazon Ephiny in the ...

) from her arrival at Wentworth as a remand prisoner to "top dog". The series is filmed at a new, purpose-built prison set in the

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

suburb of Clayton. ''Wentworth'' features contemporary versions of vintage characters along with new characters. Characters and cast members include Bea Smith (

), crime matriarch Jacs Holt (

Kris McQuade Kris McQuade (born 1952) is an Australian actress who has had many film, television and theatre roles. Career Her film credits include ''The Love Letters from Teralba Road'', '' Kostas'', '' Fighting Back'', '' Lonely Hearts'', ''Goodbye Paradi ...

), Liz Birdsworth (

Celia Ireland Celia Ireland (born 16 May 1966) is an Australian actress. She is best known for her role as Regina Butcher on the television series '' All Saints'' and her Logie award winning role as Liz Birdsworth on the prison drama series ''Wentworth''. E ...

), Doreen Anderson (

Shareena Clanton Shareena Clanton (born 1990) is an Australian film, television and theatre actress. She is known for her role as Doreen Anderson on the television drama series ''Wentworth'' (2013–2017). Personal life Clanton was born in Perth, Western Austr ...

), Franky Doyle (

Nicole da Silva Nicole da Silva (born 18 September 1981) is an Australian actress, best known for her roles as Stella Dagostino in the series ''Rush'' (2008–2011), and as Franky Doyle in the show ''Wentworth'' (2013–2018, 2019). She has made appearances ...

), Sue "Boomer" Jenkins (

Katrina Milosevic Katrina Milosevic (born 25 April 1976) is an Australian actress who has appeared in many television programs and theatre productions, including a starring role in the prison drama series ''Wentworth''. Biography Katrina Milosevic was born in ...

), social worker Erica Davidson (

Leeanna Walsman Leeanna Walsman is an Australian actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as Zam Wesell in '' Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones'' (2002), for playing Carly Bishop in the Australian film '' Looking for Alibrandi'' (2000), fo ...

), officer Will Jackson (

Robbie Magasiva Robbie Joseph Magasiva (born 21 May 1972) is a Samoan-New Zealander actor who has starred in several films and as a member of the Naked Samoans comedy troupe. He has also appeared on television and in theatre, and was the co-presenter of New Z ...

), officer Matthew Fletcher (

Aaron Jeffery Aaron C. Jeffery is a Logie Award-winning New Zealand-Australian actor. He is best known for his roles as Terry Watson in '' Water Rats'', as Alex Ryan in ''McLeod's Daughters'', and as Matt "Fletch" Fletcher in ''Wentworth''. Early and personal ...

), deputy governor Vera Bennett (

Kate Atkinson Kate Atkinson may refer to: * Kate Atkinson (actress) (born 1972), Australian actress * Kate Atkinson (writer) Kate Atkinson (born 20 December 1951) is an English writer of novels, plays and short stories. She is known for creating the Jac ...

), and governor Meg Jackson (

Catherine McClements Catherine McClements is an Australian stage, film and television actress and television presenter. She is known for her TV roles in '' Water Rats'' and ''Tangle'', for which she won Logie Awards, and has performed in stage productions for theat ...

), as well as Linda Miles (

Jacquie Brennan Jacqueline Brennan is an Australian stage, television and film actress with a career that has spanned over 30 years appearing in film, theatre and voice-over roles. Jacquie Brennan is known for her roles on ''Bullpitt!'', ''The Hollowmen,''and ...

), Joan Ferguson (

Pamela Rabe Pamela may refer to: *''Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded'', a novel written by Samuel Richardson in 1740 *Pamela (name), a given name and, rarely, a surname *Pamela Spence, a Turkish pop-rock singer. Known as her stage name "Pamela" * MSC ''Pamela'', ...

), Sean Brody (Rick Donald), Greg Miller (

David de Lautour David Hugh de Lautour (born November 28, 1982) is a New Zealand television actor. He was born in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand and attended King's College, then The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) to which he received a $50 ...

), Marie Winter (

Susie Porter Susie Porter (born 1970 or 1971) is an Australian television, film and theatre actress. She made her debut in the 1996 film '' Idiot Box'', before rising to prominence in films including '' Paradise Road'' (1997), ''Welcome to Woop Woop'' (1997) ...

), Rita Connors (

Leah Purcell Leah Maree Purcell (born 14 August 1970) is an Aboriginal Australian stage and film actress, playwright, film director, and novelist. She made her film debut in 1999, appearing in Paul Fenech's ''Somewhere in the Darkness'', which led to role ...

). None of the original cast was initially scheduled to return for the first series, but on 29 November 2012 it was confirmed that

Anne Charleston Anne Charleston (born 30 December 1942) is an Australian actress, notable for her career locally and in the United Kingdom in theatre and television. Charleston started her career in theatre in the mid 1950's, and has been a staple of the small ...

(who appeared in the original series) would make a guest appearance, as well as

who was in the original series as Ros Coulson, Thornton would play Sonia Stevens. ''Wentworth'' premiered in Australia on Foxtel's SoHo channel on 1 May 2013. As of 2018, the series was still in production, with a sixth season premiering on 19 June 2018, while a seventh season had been announced and due to air in 2019. Season 7 aired in May 2019. While ''Wentworth'' was confirmed for a 2021 ending, it won't surpass ''Prisoner'' in episodes, but will surpass the show in years on air.

Spoofs

In 1980 ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...

'' aired a parody of the series, "Debs Behind Bars". In the sketch, the inmates (including guest host

Teri Garr Teri Ann Garr (born December 11, 1944) is an American former actress, dancer, and comedian. She frequently appeared in comedic roles throughout her career, which spans four decades and includes over 140 credits in film and television. Her accola ...

) are spoiled debutantes who complain about "icky" living conditions in prison. During the early 1990s, Seven Network's comedy sketch program ''

Fast Forward To fast-forward is to move forwards through a recording at a speed faster than that at which it would usually be played, for example two times or two point five times. The recordings are usually audio, video or computer data. It is colloquially ...

'' parodied ''Prisoner'';

Gina Riley Gina Riley (born 6 May 1961) is an Australian actress, writer, singer and comedian, known for portraying Kim Craig in the television series ''Kath & Kim'', and for her work in musical theatre. Television and film Riley became a popular televisi ...

(Bea Smith),

Jane Turner Jane Turner (born 1 December 1960) is an Australian actress, comedian and Logie Award-winning comedy series creator and screnwriter. Career Turner, although best known as a comedy performer, made her acting debut in the internationally ren ...

(Lizzie Birdsworth),

Magda Szubanski Magdalene Mary Therese Szubanski ( ; born 12 April 1961) is an Australian comedy actress, author, singer and LGBT rights advocate. She performed in ''Fast Forward'', '' Kath & Kim'' as Sharon Strzelecki and in the films ''Babe'' (1995) and ' ...

(Doreen) and Marg Downey as officer (Joan Ferguson) gave scenes from the series a comedic twist. Other series to have featured ''Prisoner'' spoofs included ''

The Paul Hogan Show ''The Paul Hogan Show'' was a popular Australian comedy show which aired on Australian television from 1973 until 1984 for a total of 12 seasons and 60 episodes. It made a star of Paul Hogan, who later appeared in ''Crocodile Dundee.'' Hogan' ...

'', '' Let the Blood Run Free'', ''

Naked Video ''Naked Video'' is a BBC Scotland sketch show that was aired on BBC2 from 12 May 1986 to 18 November 1991. The show was created by Colin Gilbert who had previously created ''A Kick Up the Eighties'' and ''Naked Radio'' (the latter being a radio ...

'' and ''

The Krypton Factor ''The Krypton Factor'' is a British game show produced by Granada Television for broadcast on ITV. The show originally ran from 7 September 1977 to 20 November 1995, and was hosted by Gordon Burns and usually broadcast on the ITV network on ...

''.

''Prisoner''-inspired shows

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 the original Australian series. In ''Dangerous Women'', the emphasis was outside the prison, focusing on prisoner relationships in a halfway house. It is remembered now mainly for the early appearance of actor

Casper Van Dien Casper Robert Van Dien Jr. (born December 18, 1968) is an American actor. He is best known for his lead role as Johnny Rico in the 1997 science-fiction action film ''Starship Troopers''. He has also appeared in a large number of television and ...

in the role of Brad Morris. In 1997, ''Prisoner'' was revised in a German-language version, ''

Hinter Gittern – Der Frauenknast Hinter Gittern – Der Frauenknast (English language, English: "Behind bars - The Women's Prison", in short: HG or HiGi) was a German language, German television series in the form of a soap opera and told the dramaturgically oversubscribed-life ...

'' (''Behind Bars''). The series ran from 1997 to 2007 for 16 series and 403 episodes.

''Talking Prisoner''

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 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 ''

''. The channel can be found on YouTube, and the official website "Talking Prisoner.com", and is also broadcast on social media sites such as Facebook.

Merchandise

There have been several tie-in books and video and DVD releases. ''Prisoner'' theme song (" On the Inside", sung by

Lynne Hamilton Lynne Hamilton (born 1950) is an English-born singer, notable for her career in Australia, particularly during the 1970s and 1980s having recorded the single " On the Inside", the theme to the television series ''Prisoner''. Early life and car ...

) reached number four in Australia in 1979 and peaked at number three on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

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 Psychobilly is a rock music fusion genre that fuses elements of rockabilly and punk rock. It's been defined as "loud frantic rockabilly music", it has also been said that it "takes the traditional countrified rock style known as rockabilly, ram ...

group

The Living End The Living End are an Australian punk rockabilly band from Melbourne, formed in 1994. Since 2002, the line-up consists of Chris Cheney (vocals, guitar), Scott Owen (double bass, vocals), and Andy Strachan (drums). The band rose to fame in 199 ...

's EP, ''

Second Solution / Prisoner of Society "Second Solution" / "Prisoner of Society" is the third EP by Australian rock band The Living End. It was the best selling Australian single of the 1990s, and spent a record-breaking 69 weeks on the ARIA Top 100 singles chart. N.B. The TI colu ...

''.

Books (tie-in publications)

Based on the Series

There have been numerous publications on the series, including tie-in paperback novels, including publication's by

Pinnacle Books Kensington Publishing Corp. is an American, New York-based publishing house founded in 1974 by Walter Zacharius (1923–2011)Grimes, William"Walter Zacharius, Romance Publisher, Dies at 87,"''New York Times'' (MARCH 7, 2011). and Roberta Bender ...

, which in 1980, led by the actors union the

Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA), also sometimes referred to as the Alliance, is the Australian trade union and professional organisation which covers the media, entertainment, sports and arts industries. Its Musicians section c ...

and represented by cast member

Val Lehman Valerie Kathleen Lehman (née Willis; born 15 March 1943) is an Australian actress and director, best known locally and internationally for her role as the antagonist "Top Dog" and self-styled Queen Bea Smith in the Australian TV series ''Pri ...

(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 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 ''

'' and ''

Home and Away ''Home and Away'' (often abbreviated as ''H&A'') is an Australian television soap opera. It was created by Alan Bateman and commenced broadcast on the Seven Network on 17 January 1988. Bateman came up with the concept of the show during a trip ...

''. 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'', 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.

Biographies and memoirs of cast members

There are also several published autobiographies, biographies and memoirs of cast members: *

published 2 books, ''It's a Mann's World'' in 1990 and ''Give Me a Break'' in 2002 *

self-published ''From the Outside'', in 2011, which are her memoirs of her career which included playing the role of Judy Bryant on ''Prisoner''. *

biography titled "On the Inside" was published in 2016 by Helen Martineau, which details her career as an actress and performer, including her role as Lizzie Birdsworth on Prisoner. *

, published her own autobiography in 2019, about her performing career, titled ''The Gloves Are Off'', named after the iconic leather gloves that she occasionally worn as Joan Ferguson on ''Prisoner''.

DVD releases

The complete series of ''Prisoner'' is available on DVD format in both Australia and the United Kingdom. On Region 4 in Australia, distribution company

Shock Records Shock Records (now part of Shock Entertainment) is an Australian independent record label. History The three founding members had all previously worked in music retail or distribution: Williams for a Melbourne distribution company called "Musi ...

released the series over forty volumes, and a complete collection, comprising these volumes; the UK editions, from

FremantleMedia Fremantle (; formerly FremantleMedia) is a British multinational television production and distribution company based in London. Fremantle takes its name from Fremantle International, acquired by predecessor company All American Television in ...

, made the series available over twenty volumes (doubling-up on the Australian sets). In 2016, ViaVision acquired the rights to re-release 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.

Theatre and musicals

A stage version of ''Prisoner'', based on the original scripts, was produced in 1989 and toured the United Kingdom.

(Meg Morris) and

Patsy King Patsy King (born 16 September 1930) is an Australian retired actress known for work in both theatre and television. She has been a children's television presenter, theatre director, playwright and worked in commercials, and in radio and voice ...

(Erica Davidson) reprised their characters and

(Rita Connors) played a new character, Angela Mason. A second tour, with

( Vera Bennett) and

Jane Clifton Jane Clifton (born 10 April 1949) is a Gibraltar-born Australian actress, singer, writer and voice artist. She is best known for her role in TV serial ''Prisoner'' as tough prison bookie Margo Gaffney. As a singer, she had a stint with Jo Jo ...

(Margo Gaffney), followed in 1990;

Jacqui Gordon Jacqui Gordon (born 1962, Melbourne) credited also Jacqui Lockhead, is an Australian actress. She appeared in television dramas, including ''Prisoner'' as Susie Driscoll, ''Cop Shop'', '' Homicide'', ''Matlock Police'' , ''Division 4'', ''The S ...

(Susie Driscoll) played new character Kath Evans. A musical version followed, with

reprising her role as Joan (the Freak) Ferguson and

Lily Savage Paul James O'Grady MBE DL (born 14 June 1955) is an English comedian, broadcaster, actor, writer and former drag queen. He achieved notability in the London gay scene during the 1980s with his drag queen persona Lily Savage, very popular in ...

as an inmate. The musical, a

parody A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its subj ...

of ''Prisoner''

kitsch Kitsch ( ; loanword from German) is a term applied to art and design that is perceived as naïve imitation, overly-eccentric, gratuitous, or of banal taste. The avant-garde opposed kitsch as melodramatic and superficial affiliation with ...

ier 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 A drag queen is a person, usually male, who uses drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate female gender signifiers and gender roles for entertainment purposes. Historically, drag queens have usually been gay men, and part o ...

would be in a women's prison. Due to ''Prisoner'' 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 Amanda Lillian Muggleton (born 12 October 1951)"Muggleton, Amanda, 1951 ...

(Chrissie Latham) and

Judy McBurney Judith McBurney (19 May 1948 – 1 December 2018) was an Australian actress and model. She is best known for serial ''The Young Doctors'' in 1,300 episodes as Tania Livingstone and also appeared in cult series'' Prisoner'' as Sandra" Pixie" Mas ...

(Pixie Mason). A TV special, ''The Great Escape'', 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 Anna Mary Soubry (; born 7 December 1956) is a British barrister, journalist and former politician who was Member of Parliament (MP) for Broxtowe from 2010 to 2019. Known for her support of pro-European policies, she was originally elected a ...

in which the cast members discuss their time on the series. Recorded at the Derby Assembly Rooms in

Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...

, 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''),

, Fiona Spence,

Maggie Dence Margaret Helen Dence (born 1 February 1942) is an Australian actress of stage and screen, with a career spanning some seven decades. She is equally at home in both comedy and drama roles, and is best known to early audiences for her roles in t ...

(Bev Baker),

Debra Lawrance Debra Lawrance (born 1 January 1957) is an Australian actress. She is best known for her role on '' Home and Away'', as Pippa Ross, which she played from 1990 to 1998, and has made a number of return appearances as the character, the most re ...

(Daphne Graham),

Linda Hartley Linda Hartley-Clark (born 28 December 1967) is an Australian actress who played Kerry Bishop on the Australian soap opera '' Neighbours'' from 1989 to 1990. She also did a guest stint in 2005 playing Gabrielle Walker, who in the storyline was ...

(Roach Waters),

(Ted Douglas) and

Maggie Millar Maggie Millar (born 6 January 1941) alternatively Maggie Miller, is an Australian former actress, artist, writer, radio personality and public relations officer. She is known for her television series roles in '' Bellbird'', ''The Sullivans'' ...

(Marie Winter).

Popular culture references

In 1997 a ''Prisoner'' clip from its second episode (Franky Doyle and Lynn Warner's fight in the garden) appeared on the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...

sitcom '' Birds of a Feather'', and the series was mentioned several times during ''Birds of a Feather'' seven-and-a-half-year run. The theme song was played briefly in episode three of BBC sitcom ''

One Foot in the Grave ''One Foot in the Grave'' is a British television sitcom written by David Renwick. There were six series (each consisting of six half-hour shows) and seven Christmas specials over a period of ten years from early 1990 to late 2000. The first fi ...

''. ''Prisoner'' has also been referenced in British sitcoms ''

2point4 Children ''2point4 Children'' is a BBC Television sitcom that was created and written by Andrew Marshall. It follows the lives of the Porters, a seemingly average, working-class London family whose world is frequently turned upside-down by bad luck and ...

'', ''

Absolutely Fabulous ''Absolutely Fabulous'' (also known as ''Ab Fab'') is a British television sitcom based on the ''French and Saunders'' sketch, "Modern Mother and Daughter", created by Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. The show was created and written by Saund ...

'' and ''

Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps ''Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps'' is a British sitcom that ran from 26 February 2001 to 24 May 2011. First broadcast on BBC Two, it starred Sheridan Smith, Will Mellor, Natalie Casey, Ralf Little, Kathryn Drysdale and Luke Gell. Cr ...

'', as well as the soap operas ''

Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' is an English soap opera created by Granada Television and shown on ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres around a cobbled, terraced street in Weatherfield, a fictional town based on inner-city Salford. Origi ...

'', ''

Brookside Brookside may refer to: Geography Canada * Brookside, Edmonton * Brookside, Newfoundland and Labrador * Brookside, Nova Scotia United Kingdom * Brookside, Berkshire, England * Brookside, Telford, an area of Telford, England United States * Br ...

'' and ''

EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a Television in the United Kingdom, British soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the Ea ...

''.

International broadcast

United Kingdom

''Prisoner'' began airing on

Yorkshire Television ITV Yorkshire, previously known as Yorkshire Television and commonly referred to as just YTV, is the British television service provided by ITV Broadcasting Limited for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV (TV network), ITV network. Until 19 ...

on 8 October 1984, with the franchise cutting scenes involving hanging (including the attempted hanging of Sandy Edwards and the hanging of Eve Wilder). Yorkshire also heavily edited the episode 326 fight scene with Joan and Bea. Several other regions also cut scenes deemed inappropriate despite its time slot, well past the 9 pm

watershed Watershed is a hydrological term, which has been adopted in other fields in a more or less figurative sense. It may refer to: Hydrology * Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins * Drainage basin, called a "watershe ...

. The TVS region followed in October 1985. In 1987

Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...

Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...

, Scottish and TSW began the series; most other regions began broadcasting it in 1988, nearly two years after it finished production.

Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United King ...

began broadcasting ''Prisoner'' in late 1989, usually airing after their Friday night local talk show "Kelly" which aired at 10.40pm, would have a tradition of "Prisoner" following at 11.40pm. When the Kelly Show extended to a 90-minute version from the autumn of 1990, ''Prisoner'' would air at 12.10am. Maggie Kirkpatrick and Val Lehman both appeared on the Kelly Show on occasions, such was the popularity of the show airing after "Kelly" every Friday night. Each ITV region decided when (and how often) ''Prisoner'' would be broadcast. Central Television screened three episodes weekly, finishing on 16 December 1991 before rerunning the first 95 episodes (from 1993 to 1995). Most other stations also completed the series:

Granada Television ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire but only on weekdays as ABC Weekend Television was it ...

and

Border Television ITV Border, previously Border Television and commonly referred to as simply Border, is the Channel 3 service provided by ITV Broadcasting Limited for the England/Scotland border region, covering most of Cumbria, Dumfries and Galloway, the S ...

on 9 February 1995,

Grampian Television Grampian Television was the original name of the Channel 3 service for the north of Scotland founded in 1961 and now named STV. The northern region's coverage area includes the Northern Isles, Western Isles, Highlands (except Fort William and ...

on 11 March 1996, HTV on 25 April 1996, STV on 19 November 1996,

and

Tyne Tees Television ITV Tyne Tees, previously known as Tyne Tees, Channel 3 North East and Tyne Tees Television, is the ITV (TV network), ITV television franchise for North East England and parts of North Yorkshire. Tyne Tees launched on 15 January 1959 from stud ...

on 7 April 1997. When Border, Grampian and Granada TV screened the final episode in the UK, continuity announcer John McKenzie conducted a telephone interview with Maggie Kirkpatrick (Joan "the Freak" Ferguson). Some UK regions did not see the entire series;

Channel Television ITV Channel Television, previously Channel Television, is a British television station which has served as the ITV contractor for the Channel Islands since 1962. It is based in Jersey and broadcasts regional programme for insertion into the ...

began the series on 16 January 1986 with episode 10, when it aligned its schedule with TVS; it was previously aligned with TSW, which did not broadcast the series in its own region until 1987. Regional alignment meant that around the end of 1992, some episodes were skipped; Tyne Tees skipped 293 and 294 and

omitted 71 episodes, 477 to 547. Furthermore, in some regions, the series was discontinued prior to its final episode in later runs: in

, ''Prisoner'' ended on

Ulster Television UTV (formerly Ulster Television, branded on air as ITV1) is the ITV region covering Northern Ireland, ITV subsidiary and the former on-air name of the free-to-air public broadcast television channel serving the area. It is run by ITV plc an ...

with episode 562 on 15 December 1997. In

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, where the series ran on

and subsequently

Carlton Television Carlton Television (now part of the non-franchised ITV London region) was the ITV franchise holder for London and the surrounding counties from 9.25am every Monday to 5.15pm every Friday. The company is now managed with London Weekend Televi ...

, viewers were told after episode 598 on 20 August 1998 that the series would resume after a summer break however the series was then discontinued from screening in London. The last ITV ''Prisoner'' episode was shown on

Meridian Meridian or a meridian line (from Latin ''meridies'' via Old French ''meridiane'', meaning “midday”) may refer to Science * Meridian (astronomy), imaginary circle in a plane perpendicular to the planes of the celestial equator and horizon * ...

, which finished an initial run with episode 586 on 12 July 1999. Early on 31 March 1997 Channel 5 (UK), Channel 5, which had begun broadcasting at 6 p.m. the previous evening, began a full run of ''Prisoner'' while later episodes were still appearing in many ITV regions. Except for an airing of the fire episode (326), as part of a 1995 Channel 4 soap weekend, it was the series' first UK network broadcast and gave some areas their first full run of the series. Although the schedule varied during the Channel 5 run, episodes were typically shown about five times a week in the 4:40 a.m. slot. It briefly moved to a late-night slot, usually around 11:30pm, before returning to the 4:40 a.m. slot. The Channel 5 run ended on 11 February 2001, with a double bill of the penultimate and final episodes. Channel 5 have no plans to re-run the series, despite viewer requests. For most of the Channel 5 run the programme was Sponsor (commercial), sponsored by Pot Noodle, with humorous ''Prisoner''-esque sequences (set in a prison cell and playing on the series' wobbly scenery and props) played before and after the episodes and in the leads into and out of Advertisement film, commercial breaks. The Channel 5 broadcasts included commentary over the closing credits, usually from chief continuity announcer Bill Buckley (radio presenter), Bill Buckley but sometimes from deputy announcers such as Stuart McWilliam. This began in the early-100s episodes (when ''Prisoner'' briefly moved to the late-night slot), when Buckley would deliver a quip about the episode before making Continuity (broadcasting), continuity announcements. This developed into humorous observations about the episode just shown, and the reading of letters and depicting of trivia sent in by viewers (which Buckley called "snippets"). Due to its early-morning slot, when most viewers relied on Videocassette recorder, VCRs to follow the series, upcoming schedule changes were announced as part of the commentary.

United States

The series was first aired in the United States on KTLA in Los Angeles on 8 August 1979, initially under the original name, ''Prisoner''. Shown Wednesdays at 8pm, it was the first Australian series broadcast in prime time in the United States. The series, whose first two episodes were screened as a two-hour special, was viewed by a quarter of all television viewers in the Los Angeles market and was in second place for the night, beaten only by ABC's ''Charlie's Angels''. The series would later be repackaged into a daily half-hour format, as ''Prisoner: Cell Block H'', KYW-TV ran this format under the title ''The Women of Cell Block H.'' It was Broadcast syndication, syndicated directly to local stations through Firestone Program Syndication Company during the early 1980s (particularly 1980 to '81). In New York City, where ''Prisoner: Cell Block H'' was telecasted on WPIX, it was rated higher than late-night staple ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' on WNBC and reruns of legendary series ''M*A*S*H (TV series), M*A*S*H'' on WNYW, WNEW-TV, it paved the way for other popular Australian produced shows including miniseries ''Against the Wind (miniseries), Against the Wind'' and serial ''The Sullivans'' to be sold to international markets. Under the half-hour format, the original episodes were broadcast in two parts, though some scenes were censored or removed for the US telecast. KTLA, however, continued to broadcast the series in a weekly hour format, though now Tuesdays at 8pm, and under the ''Prisoner: Cell Block H'' name. Picked up in at least 38 markets in early 1980, the program would leave the American airwaves by spring 1982, after the few stations that were still carrying the program, such as KOB-TV and WGN-TV, removed ''Prisoner'' from their schedules. During the spring and summer of 1985, the series was screened nationally on USA Network, weekdays at 11am Eastern Time Zone, ET, also in a half-hour format. It is unknown which episodes were televised.

Stations that aired ''Prisoner: Cell Block H''

Canada

In Canada, ''Prisoner'' began on 10 September 1979 as ''Caged Women'' on Global Television Network, at the time a small television network serving southern and eastern Ontario; the program was seen weekly on Monday nights at 9pm The show would move to Tuesdays at 9 p.m. in the fall of 1980, continuing with the ''Caged Women'' title. The show would be off the schedule by the 1981–1982 television season, but by the fall of 1982, Global would reintroduce the show to the schedule, still as ''Caged Women'', in the half-hour format, weeknights at midnight and 12:30am. The program would be off the schedule by the start of the 1983–1984 season. Curiously, Global's use of ''Caged Women'' would continue even after the show debuted in the United States as ''Prisoner: Cell Block H'', which led to viewers in the communities along the Ontario / Michigan border to watch the same program under two different titles: ''Caged Women'' on Global, and ''Prisoner: Cell Block H'' on WKBD-TV Detroit. In Vancouver, Victoria, British Columbia, Victoria and the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, ''Prisoner: Cell Block H'' was telecasted under that title weekdays at 1pm during 1980 and 1981 on KVOS-TV, an independent station in Bellingham, Washington that included the greater Vancouver / Victoria region as part of its viewing area.

Sweden

The series was shown in Sweden where it was a cult broadcast on TV4, from 7 September 1994 and entitled ''Kvinofangelset'' (The Women's Prison). a fan club organised a regular get together and collected several thousands of signatures from fans to repeat the series in again, which TV4 did so in 2000, After the series ended that year, work began to persuade the network to repeat the series a third time. The network originally screened the series three times a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday) in the late night program slot of 1am, with the final episode airing on 3 February 2000. During the repeat run from 2000 until October 2004, the network screening was four times a week (Monday to Thursday) at 2:15 am. The episodes were then repeated on weekends with both the Monday and Tuesday episode on Saturday and the Wednesday and Thursday episodes on Sunday. The second rerun began in May 2014, by station TV4 Guld and again airing Monday through to Thursdays, and screening at 10:00pm, with episode 32 on July 3. The broadcast schedule was later changed to five nights a week airing at midnight. Season 8 began broadcasting Sjuan in September 2017 at 3:00 pm.

Other countries

The series began in New Zealand in March 1981 on TVNZ 2, TV2, showing twice a week at 2:30 p.m., and was later rerun on Sky 5, SKY 1. In South Africa, public television network SABC 1 began airing the series in 1998, screening Thursday nights at 9 p.m. and a repeat showing on Fridays at 10:45; it was cancelled on 2 October 2000, after episode 156. In Brazil, ''Prisoner'' aired as ''As Prisioneiras'' around the end of 1980 and early 1981 by TVS (since renamed Sistema Brasileiro de Televisão, SBT), Sundays at 10 p.m. The show was dubbed into Brazilian Portuguese locally by TVS and was cancelled after episode 82 had screened.

Australian reruns

began rerunning ''Prisoner'' on 8 May 1995; the series was cancelled, despite promises that it would return after the 1996 Christmas break. BBC UKTV began airing it from the beginning on 30 November 1997, at 12:15am on Tuesday and Thursday and 11:30pm on Saturday and Sunday. A repeat was broadcast at 2pm on Monday. Foxtel channel 111 (Australian TV channel), 111 channel began airing the series on 7 March 2011 at 6:30pm Time in Australia, AEDT, later moving to 5:30pm AEDT on 10 December 2012. Each episode was repeated the following afternoon, with the final episode on the initial run airing on 11 November 2013. The next day, the channel began a repeat run from episode one at 3:00pm AEDT, later moving to 1:00pm AEST on 7 July 2014.

held unlimited screening rights to the series until 2019, airing the series 4 times back to back (from 2011 to 2019). Foxtel's final broadcast was on September 11, 2019. The series' popularity on Foxtel inspired plans for a modern-day remake. Believing that ''Prisoner'' would resonate with new audiences, in 2010 111 group programming director Darren Chau planned to replay the series against the introduction of digital channel Eleven (Australian TV channel), Eleven and Network Ten's plan to move ''

'' to Eleven. The channel ran a promotional campaign highlighting the rerun, with a new version of the theme song by Ella Hooper and a cast reunion.

Background

Creation and production

Continuity

Synopsis

Series extension

Final season

Main Cast

Supporting cast

Broadcast sheet

Spin-offs, remakes and specials

Spin-offs

''Willow B: Women in Prison''

''Wentworth''

Spoofs

''Prisoner''-inspired shows

''Talking Prisoner''

Merchandise

Books (tie-in publications)

Based on the Series

Biographies and memoirs of cast members

DVD releases

Theatre and musicals

Popular culture references

International broadcast

United Kingdom

United States

Stations that aired ''Prisoner: Cell Block H''

Canada

Sweden

Other countries

Australian reruns

Awards and nominations

See also

Explanatory notes

References

External links