We threw eighteen quick-fire questions at Maggie and the answers came straight from the heart.

1. What did you think of The Freak?

If I knew her in real life, I wouldn't give her the time of day.

2. What do you think of Ivy Hackett?

I would love to have Ivy as a sparring partner.

3. What did you think of Aunty Jean?

Oh God, forget her, she's nothing more than a selfish bitch.

4. What did you want to do when you left school?

To become an nurse.

5. How do you feel about war?

I feel that it is a totally evil thing created by old men who wish to inflict their opinion on the young, and let's face it, most wars are created because of greed.

6. How do you feel about AIDS and HIV?

I am very involved in the fight against AIDS and HIV. I feel that not enough is being done in the fight to educate people and a lot more has to be done to find a new cure and to care for those people who are infected.

7. How do you feel about Clause 28 in England?

What an insidious, awful clause. I can't understand why various countries over the world are going back in time and taking away people's civil freedom. It seems that anyone who is in conflict with politicians suffer.

8. What do you think about the entertainment industry in Australia?

By God it's suffering because people are very wary about investing. However the turnaround is great with England and America receiving our products. Previously we received total rubbish from America and wonderful products from England.

9. What's your favourite memory of Prisoner?

Meeting Sammy davis Jnr. It's very sad that our friendship was so short.

10. Obviously Joan and Ivy were two very powerful business women. How do you feel about powerful women?

It's the old fashioned double standards again. If a man goes around with lots of women, he's called a stud, if a woman goes around with lots of men, she's called a tart or a slut. In business men are called ambitious, whereas women are referred to as bitches. The equalising of men and women had to happen, certainly in politics, so that there is fair representation.

11. Did you make a New Year's resolution?

No, I never do. I looked at last year and I decided to think positive about the next year. If you think positive then you gain positive things, whereas negative thoughts just generate negative things. I'm a survivor and those down times help you to apprciate the good times.

12. What is your main ambition?

I want to be wnated and to be able to do the job to the best of my ability.

13. Would you play Joan again?

No, not on TV.

14. Do you think Joan's actions were justified?

People like Joan see only black and white and all that she saw was that law breakers had broken the sytem and should be punished. No one is as evil as Joan, even though she cared about animals, children and the elderly.

15. What other TV programmes would you like to appear in?

I would love to guest star in GP in Australia. In America, it would be great if I could be an Australian cousin of the Golden Girls, and I am sure when I have seen more English television I would find something that I would like to appear in.

16. How do you feel about viewers having a say in what they watch?

Seeing as viewers keep the revenue going for television they should have a say, or at least their views should be listened to.

17. What makes you happy?

Friendship, beautiful music and the company of my grandson.

18. What would be your favourite role, classic or modern, tv, movie or stage?

Something that would give me a tremendous sense of achievement, something that I was good at and most of all, something that gave pleasure to a lot of people.
 
 

Taken from the Maggie Kirkpatrick Special
Published in 1992 in the UK
Thanks to Jamie M. Richards.