Maggie Kirkpatrick returns to prison 18 years after terrorising the inmates of Cell Block H...

If you're a fan of Eighties Aussie soap Prisoner: Cell Block H, then the name Joan 'The Freak' Ferguson is bound to send a shiver down your spine. So spare a thought for Home And Away jailbird Dani Sutherland this week as she comes face to face with her prison 'top-dog' - because The Guv is played by none other than Maggie Kirkpatrick, who portrayed the evil Freak for over four years.

"I must admit, I wasn't very enthusiastic when I was first offered the Home And Away role," confesses Maggie. "I thought, 'where's the imagination?'. I would have preferred a different role, not something everyone has seen before. But then I thought, 'Stuff it! If they want tough, then nobody plays tough better than me!'"

And as Maggie explains, The Guv's introduction into Home And Away is very Joan Ferguson - but there's more to her than meets the eye.

"The first time we see The Guv is in the prison canteen, and Dani makes the mistake of sitting in her seat," explains Maggie. "No words are exchanged. The Guv just gives her a Joan Ferguson look, so at this point the audience will think they are getting The Freak again. But after that, we come to realize that she's a very different woman. She's quite well spoken and educated, surrounded by law books, a computer and paintings."

While The Guv takes an instant shine to Dani, Maggie is quick to clarify this interest is in the girl's mind rather than her body.

"There's no hint of Joan's lesbianism in The Guv," she says. "She sees Dani as someone with brains, and wants to make sure the prison doesn't send Dani's future down the drain."

While the doors of Wentworth Detention Centre closed in 1986, the role of The Freak has never left Maggie, thanks to a cult following all over the world.

"Everywhere I go I still get recognised," she says, "I'm sure there are millions of people who think it's all I've ever done! But I'm not going to knock old Joan - people still love her and that's great."

While Maggie says she would never appear in a Cell block H revival - "It would be ridiculous. Too many years have passed" - there is one elusive role she would love to tackle.

"I'd really like to do a pantomime, as I've never done one before," she says. "I'd have to be a wicked stepmother, or a wicked witch - isn't that what the fans would want? I could hardly be the fairy Godmother in Cinderella!"

Jason Herbison
 

She'll be back!

While Maggie's appearance in Home And Away is only for one week at this stage, she has been asked to reprise the role of The Guv in further episodes that won't be seen here until nest year. And next time around, she'll be in Summer Bay.

"A lot of my work will be with ray Meagher (Alf) and Cornelia Frances (Morag), who are both old mates," says Maggie. "We'll see how the youngsters cope when we three get going!"
 

Inside Soap magazine
July 2004.