He used to bring me roses I wish he could again but that was on the outside, and things were different then…..

Who would have imagined that some of our most loved TV characters would be hardened criminals, murderers and crooked prison guards, but when it comes to Prisoner, audiences the world over anxiously tuned in each week to watch mighty Bea Smith rule Wentworth Detention Centre and the dreaded ironing press.

To mark the 30th Anniversary of Prisoner, 3008 spoke to Val Lehman, the actor behind the legendary Bea Smith character to find out about life On the Inside and out.

Did you foresee that a show about women in prison would become one of the most iconic television shows in Australian Television history and that it would be so big internationally?
No of course not, we started out on a 16 week contract which was extended to 6 months even before the show went to air. Market research had been used to determine the reaction to the show and the public went mad for it.

A generation grew up watching Prisoner, what was the secret behind the show inciting such a massive following?
Realistic, down to earth, easily identified women involved in very genuine, pertinent, conflicts and issues.

Were you considered, or did you want to play a different character on the show?
No. Although my agent thought I would have been well cast as the gestapo type prison officer.

Today Bea Smith would be looked upon as a modern woman, tough, resilient, outspoken and big hearted - apart from her criminal record who would you liken the character to in today’s world?
There are lots of them, many of them simply mums and housewives. Bea was a unique creation, a big fish in a tiny pond, invincible, never wrong, with the ability to kill. I don’t really think you will find a lot of people with that sort of power in our world.

Did Prisoner hinder or heighten your career when it ended in 1986?
It did both. Initially the exposure worked for me, especially in the UK where I worked for seven successful years on the stage. Regretfully in Australia, I’ve never been given the opportunity of creating another memorable character.

What have you been doing in the years since Prisoner?
Seven years working successfully in the theatre in the UK, acting and directing, and very little since I returned to Australia 10 years ago.

When it comes to the Docklands area in Melbourne what are your thoughts?
It looks like a great place to live but I can’t afford it.

What is Val Lehman’s philosophy on life?
There is always a way, life owes us nothing, but if you want something badly enough you will find a way.

How can we get reruns of Prisoner back on our screens?
The general public has all the power, if enough of you want it and say so out loud it will happen. It did in the UK and Sweden.

Visit Val’s official website http://www.val-lehman.com