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EPISODE 652

A celebrity visits the prison after the telethon, and a new top-dog takes over.

First broadcast ... 1986 (Melbourne)
Broadcast on Channel 5 Sunday 24 September 2000 04:40
DVD release: volume 39 disc 1 (AUS)
Duration: 0:45:30



Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne
Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick
Ann ~ Gerda Nicolson
Alice ~ Lois Collinder
Lorelei ~ Paula Duncan
Merle ~ Rosanne Hull-Brown
Rita ~ Glenda Linscott
Mervin ~ Ernie Bourne
Rodney ~ Philip Hyde
Marty ~ Michael Winchester
Delia ~ Desiree Smith
Vicki ~ Rebecca Dines
Lisa ~ Nicki Paull
Spider ~ Taya Stratton
Wendy ~ Julieanne Newbould
Dan ~ Sean Scully
Celebrity ~ Greg Evans
Newsreader ~ Jennifer Hansen
June Hosking ~ Brenda Addie
Ivan Hosking ~ Cliff Wood
Zoe Wilkinson ~ Ashby Redward
UNCREDITED
Kath ~ Kate Hood
Jeff Goodwin ~ Tom Coltraine

Also credited in error at the end of the previous episode:-

Judge Stanley ~ John Ford
Jury Foreman ~ Frank Sheeran

  • Written by John Coulter & Marie Trevor
  • Directed by Sean Nash
  • Rodney staggers into reception and Meg raises the alarm: the telethon phones are cut and the women are locked in the dining room as the escape alarm sounds. Kath wants to know why she has been kidnapped, but her abductor simply says it's "a present" from some of her friends. Lisa and Wendy are locked in the showers, giving them the chance to bond, as Lisa offers Wendy some advice to a supposed newcomer. Joan makes an excuse to go and collect the "celebrity", Greg Evans, from the staff room and gets his autograph, supposedly for a child who has the same name. The telethon resumes, but Merle is upset to find Kath has gone. Rita puts Alice forward as the new top dog: this is universally regarded as a joke (even by Alice herself) but Rita insists she is serious and challenges anyone to disagree with her. Greg Evans is mobbed by (a few) screaming prisoners when he appears in the rec room. Wendy sees Ann, and is told to provoke a charge from Meg if she needs to talk to her, but she refuses to help Ann get information about Kath's escape, as that is not part of her brief. Lisa comforts Merle, who is puzzled and distraught by Kath's escape, as Wendy looks on in disbelief. Alice tries to stand up to Spider, but both Mervin and Rita think she is only trying to prove herself. At Lorelei's trial, her decision to conduct her own defence does not go as badly as everyone assumes, and despite a terribly hammy and tear jerking plea she is found not guilty on all charges by the usual six person jury . Joan is caught off guard and gets a big hug from Lorelei to mark the event. She arrives home to find Gran and Zoe have gone, evidently for a week or more: Joan promises she will help her find them. Merle moves in with Rita and Alice, much to her displeasure, as she still thinks Rita is responsible for Kath's escape. Spider and Vicki move in on the newcomers as potential new customers, but Spider thinks she recognizes Wendy. Fortunately, Meg is listening outside the cell and saves Wendy by putting her on a charge. Wendy is shown Spider's file and works out that she met her on another undercover job. Vicki and Spider are tied to a security gate and showered with kitchen rubbish by Merle . Joan goes to the police to try to trace Gran and leaves Lorelei in her flat. Wendy makes Spider even more suspicious when she reminds Spider of where they met before, as Spider recalls that Wendy was the only one not to be caught. Dan tells Ann he's marrying Helen in four months' time, and despite Ann's insistence he says he will move out and find somewhere else to live. Joan finds out that Gran has died in hospital two weeks before, but is unable to get any information about Zoe. We then see Mr and Mrs Hosking , who were looking after Zoe while Gran was in hospital: they have reclaimed her and do not intend to give her back.

    ***


    Story Editor: Gwenda Marsh
    Script Editor: Neil Luxmoore
    Storyliners: Tony McDonald, John Coulter, Bob Greenberg


    ITV regional broadcast dates:-
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