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ANN REYNOLDS
Played by: Gerda Nicolson
Position: Governor of Wentworth
First ep: 364
Last ep: 692
Total featured: 316 episodes
Close to: Meg Morris, Dan Moulton, Wally Wallace
Current Status: Governor of Wentworth
Introduced without warning at the end of episode 364, Ted Douglas announces Ann Reynolds as the new prison Governor, successing Erica Davidson who had been forced to resign. Her initial arrival is a complete shock to everyone, not least Meg Morris, Colleen Powell and Joan Ferguson who had all applied for the position.
Joan uses Ann's arrival to get on her good side, suggesting that Meg and Colleen aren't really up to the job. It takes a while for Ann to settle in to Wentworth, being constantly compared to Erica and receiving an initial cold response from Colleen (her Deputy) who doesn't take kindly to all of the extra paperwork Ann's arrival causes but things soon settle.
Ann meets future love interest Wally Wallace and suggests that he move into the empty attic space in the house that she lives at. Wally moves in during episode 379, assisted by Ann's son Paul - a keen photographer. His interest gets him into trouble when he takes a photograph of Ted Douglas taking bribes from crime baron Lionel Fellowes. Ann is attacked in her home (episode 381) when two men attempt to recover the negatives on Fellowes' orders. Ted is arrested at the airport while trying to make a quick get-away and is replaced by new Department head Arthur Richards.
Ann and Wally's friendship blossoms but Ann is faced with devastating news when she discovers a lump in her breast (episode 412). She takes some persuasion before seeking medical help and it's Colleen who eventually makes her realise how important it is that she is seen. Ann's worst fears become reality - in episode 417 during a biopsy the doctors have to perform a mastectomy. During her recovery Ann receives another blow when she finds out that Paul has been seriously hurt following shooting arranged by Lionel Fellowes (episode 422). She becomes determined to make a return to full health so she can leave Wentworth and look after her son.
Wally offers to look after Paul and Ann returns to Wentworth as Governor in episode 429.
With her relationship with Wally over, Ann becomes involved with Dr Jonathan Edmunds who is appointed to the prison to conduct an investigation on behaviour modification (episode 448). What she doesn't realise is that Jonathan is using hypnotherapy on the prisoners and staff, with alarming results. He is revealed as a fraud when Colleen finds out that he's also having an affair with Meg. When Jonathan is arrested, Joan reports Ann's personal involvement with him to the Department who take a very dim view and place Ann on six week's notice. When Joan arranges a riot in episode 467 Ann is dismissed, however is reinstated following inmate Leigh Templar who uses her influence on politicians to have the decision reversed.
Ann and Meg are taken hostage by Brian Lowe in episode 498 and held in a booby-trapped warehouse, following a hate campaign against Ann. Fearing for their lives, Lowe slips on the weak stairs and falls to his death leaving the two women stranded and no better off. When the police arrive, one of them activates the tripwire and the building explodes. Luckily Ann and Meg are found alive. Ann returns to work too early, causing her to collapse. She takes some more time to recover and is back on top form in episode 512.
She is offered a promotion but turns it down after initially accepting it (episode 522) when she realises that all is not as expected. When Department head Andrew Fry resigns, Ann is asked to take over the job by the Minister (episode 558) but refuses.
Ann takes an extended leave of absence in episode 591 to think about her position within the prison. She meets, and falls in love with, Dan Moulton - member of the Conquerers bikie squad with Rita Connors. She returns to Wentworth as Governor in episode 606. Her relationship with Dan is over following his hospitalisation when an escape attempt at Wentworth goes wrong - Dan falls for one of the nurses who is looking after him so Ann becomes single once more.
Joan is promoted to Deputy Governor in episode 620, much to the horror of Ann and Meg. Joan uses her new power to transfer inmate Rita Connors to Blackmoor (episode 665) while Ann is away for the day. Furious with Joan's actions, Ann is powerless to reverse the transfer although when Blackmoor burns down, Rita is returned - alongside Blackmoor's corrupt Governor Ernest Craven.
Ann is dismissed (again) in episode 671 when she is framed by Joan and Craven. The Minister is forced to reinstate Ann when Craven and his dodgy dealings are exposed on a TV news special (episode 678).
Wentworth begins to change for the better - Ann's reforms are finally accepted in the last episode (692) and she also succeeds in ridding the prison of one of it's most notorious officers. Joan Ferguson is arrested and sent to Wentworth for one night as an inmate after a pre-arranged plan to catch her red handed succeeds, before she is transferred to another prison to start a long prison sentence.
Ann's last line is the final one in the series by a member of staff, with prisoner Rita Connors having the very last. We never find out how much involvement Ann has in the final storyline - this appears to be left to the viewer to decide.
© 2008 On The Inside. Not to be reproduced without permission.
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Classic Moment:
Ann looks on in horror at the fate of Bev Baker
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