What is Wentworth?
Wentworth is an Australian prison drama series set in the fictional Wentworth Correctional Centre, a women's prison. It aired from 2013 to 2021 and became an international hit.
The series is a reimagining of the 1979 Australian soap Prisoner, known overseas as Prisoner: Cell Block H. It follows Bea Smith, played by Danielle Cormack, who enters prison awaiting trial and rises to become top dog among the inmates.
Over eight seasons, the show explored power struggles, violence, friendships and the lives of guards and prisoners. Pamela Rabe played the menacing governor Joan Ferguson, known as The Freak.
International success
Wentworth was produced by FremantleMedia for Foxtel and was sold to many countries, gaining a large following in the United Kingdom, the United States and Europe.
It won several Logie Awards and was praised for its strong ensemble cast of women, including Kate Atkinson, Nicole da Silva, Celia Ireland and Kate Box.
The series was filmed in Melbourne, using a purpose-built prison set in the suburb of Clayton. After the death of Bea Smith in season four, the show continued with new storylines, and its finale in 2021 brought back characters from earlier seasons. Fans continue to discover it through streaming services.
Did You Know?
The original Prisoner ran for 692 episodes from 1979 to 1986.