‘JOAN'S RETURN AFFECTS US ALL!'

Wentworth Prison star Kate Atkinson on the show’s success in the UK and what’s next for her character Vera Bennett

- Hamaiz Iqbal, Sarah Morton

Wentworth Prison fans were left gobsmacked at the end of series seven when they learned former prison governor Joan “The Freak” Ferguson was, by some miracle, still alive. Now, with series eight of the hit Aussie drama back on our screens, viewers have been gripped as Joan plots revenge.

Kate Atkinson, who plays ex-governor Vera Bennett, tells us that despite being arch enemies onscreen, she’s a huge fan of the actress Pamela Rabe, who plays evil Joan.

“Joan is such a well-loved character,” Kate tells new. “All of us that work on the show are delighted to have her back.”

Fans have seen Kate’s character evolve from a pushover nicknamed “Vinegar Tits” to a female boss and, more recently, a new mum to baby Grace. But when we try to probe Kate about what’s in store for Vera and Jake Stewart (Bernard Curry), she’s tight-lipped.

Here, Kate, 48, chats to us about the show’s popularity and filming her favourite scene…

Hi Kate! How do you think the dynamics will change now that Joan is alive?