Wentworth death sets benchmark for season

down and giggle’’ about the show’s tremendous global profile.

However, he is well aware of the dangers of being overexposed.

‘‘Mrs Brown has become a really strong brand and we do not want to throw it away.

‘‘I don’t care how funny you think you are, people are entitled to think, ‘Oh no, not him again’.’’

The show’s creator asserts that the cast will never get complacent about its enormous success.

‘‘I think it is because we all had real jobs,’’ he reflects. ‘‘Bugsy [O’Neill, who plays Grandad Brown] was a window washer, Pepsi [Shields, who plays Mark, Mrs Brown’s oldest child] was a mechanic, Rory [Cowan, who plays Rory, Mrs Brown’s third son] worked in EMI for many years, Jenny [Gibney, who plays Cathy, Mrs Brown’s only daughter] worked in a bank, Eilish [who plays Winnie, Mrs Brown’s neighbour and best friend] worked for Guinness, I was a waiter – everybody had real jobs.’’

O’Carroll concludes that, ‘‘You are always terrified that one day they will find out you are a waiter and will want their money back. So I think we do appreciate it more than normal.’’

Rory moves out

Mrs Brown’s Boys star Rory Cowan has announced that he is leaving the show, after 26 years performing with the cast.

The actor, who plays Agnes Brown’s son Rory, said he felt ‘‘it was time to go’’. His last performance with the comedy troupe was at London’s 02 Arena on July 9.

‘‘I hadn’t been happy working for the Mrs Brown’s Boys company for the last 18 months to two years,’’ Rory told the Irish Daily Mail, adding that he wouldn’t share any further details.

‘‘I did the final show, packed my stuff into a small Waitrose plastic bag and I just left the venue.’’

All Round To Mrs Brown’s, TVNZ 1, Thursday. TV Guide

Kate Jenkinson loves Wentworth’s ‘take-noprisoners’ approach – even if it could mean she loses her job.

‘‘I certainly came into season five with zero expectations of what may, or may not, happen because the writers and producers are just genius at turning everything upside down. Anyone could live or die,’’ says the actor who plays Allie Novak, the lesbian lover of the late, and much lamented, Bea Smith (Danielle Cormack) in the Australian drama.

‘‘Killing off the main character like that could potentially end the show. People could decide to tune out after that, and I am sure some people might, but I personally would prefer to be part of a show that’s edgy and cut-throat like that.

‘‘Bea’s death has set the benchmark very high for the new season.’’

Jenkinson says the death of the show’s main character was as big a shock to the cast as it was to fans.

‘‘I think even some of the cast were hoping it would be a Jon Snow kind of incident and she would come back from the dead but, no, Wentworth stuck to its guns and she really is gone, which is devastating.’’

Jenkinson, who moved back to Australia from Los Angeles to take on the role of Allie at the beginning of the show’s fourth season, admits she wondered if her character’s days were also numbered.

‘‘I thought, ‘What is the function of the Allie character if the main reason she came into the prison in the first place doesn’t exist any more?’. But, obviously, I’ve since learned that’s a pretty naive way to look at a character,’’ she says.

‘‘Ironically, playing Allie this season was a lot more interesting than season four because she had really, really clear major objectives that she had to fulfil.’’

Jenkinson is keeping mum about the remainder of the season – and won’t even reveal if she will be back for the just announced sixth season of the prison drama, which screens in 80 countries around the world.

‘‘The story will continue for whoever is left over,’’ she says, adding it is exciting to be part of a show that takes so many risks.

‘‘I think Wentworth easily could have become a serial drama.’’