From the very first episode of Wentworth fans knew they would be in for one dramatic ride. After all, very few shows kill off their characters in such dramatic fashion in the pilot.
Now eight seasons in, not much has changed, as fans have learned to expect the unexpected.
And that’s possibly why the drama has gained a cult following to become one of the best Australian shows on our screens.
If you don’t believe us, just look to their seven TV WEEK Logie Awards.
Wentworth’s merciless killing off of key characters and fan favourites is what makes the show so gut-wrenching and gloriously bingeable.
From goodbyes that had us curled up in a ball sobbing uncontrollably to the gasp-out-loud killings we never saw coming, Wentworth never fails to leave us stunned.
As season eight of the drama kicks off, we’re looking back at the character deaths that rattled us most.
Meg
Governor Meg – S1, E1
Like we said, Wentworth didn’t hold back with a killer (sorry, Meg) first episode.
Firm-but-fair Governor Meg Jackson (Catherine McClements) was killed by inmate Franky Doyle (Nicole De Silva), leaving behind her grieving prison guard husband Will (Robbie Magasiva).
The shocking opening episode set the tone for following seasons, and plenty more deaths.
Debbie
Debbie’s death – S1, E8
Meg’s death proved nobody is safe inside the prison, but it was the murder of Bea’s daughter Debbie (Georgia Flood) who proved loved ones were just as unsafe on the outside.
After making an enemy out of Queen bee Jacs (Kris McQuade), she has her son Braydon get Debbie hooked on heroin before injecting her with a lethal dose.
Jacs
Jacs’ death – S1, E10
Bea’s full terrifying potential is witnessed when she commits her first murder – killing Jacs by stabbing her in the neck with a pen after forcing her to confess to daughter Debbie’s murder.
Bea
Bea’s death – S4, E12
The feud between Bea and the new Governor Joan ‘The Freak’ Ferguson (Pamela Rabe) reaches a formidable peak until Bea taunts her to the point she snaps and stabs her in front of countless witnesses.
It’s a gut-wrenching yet satisfying goodbye as Bea whispers “I win” to a furious Joan before taking her last breath and sealing The Freak’s fate.
The Freak
The Freak – S5, E12
From Governor to prisoner, Joan’s reign over the prison as ‘top dog’ continues.
Joining Allie (Kate Jenkinson) and Franky’s escape plan, she hides in a coffin waiting to be moved to safety.
She’s horrified to discover however, she’s instead being buried alive by prison guard Will.
Sonia
Sonia Stevens – S6, E7
In Wentworth everybody has a nemesis. For Liz Birdsworth (Celia Ireland) it was socialite sociopath Sonia Stevens (Sigrid Thornton).
After her upsetting dementia diagnosis Liz finds herself wandering up to the roof with Sonia following close behind. The women are caught in a tense struggle when Kaz (Tammy MacIntosh) intervenes and sends Sonia falling to her death.
Kaz
Kaz Proctor – S7, E4
Being Wentworth’s top dog puts a hefty target on your back, and no one proved that more than Kaz.
In one of the show’s biggest mysteries, Kaz had her throat cut after she’d been for a therapy session.
The culprit was later revealed to be Sean Brody (Rick Donald), a disturbed prison guard.
Liz
Liz Birdsworth – S7, E10
The tragic death of Liz is arguably one of the most tear-jerking goodbyes we’ve seen from the show yet.
With her dementia worsening, Liz asks Boomer (Katrina Milosevic) to put her out of her misery should she deteriorate too much.
So, when Liz suffers a stroke in the dramatic season finale, leaving her with locked-in syndrome, Boomer grants her heartbreaking wish as we all sobbed uncontrollably.
