Sigrid Thornton joins Wentworth

Former Prisoner star Sigrid Thornton will return to Wentworth, by signing for Season 4 of the hit drama.

Thornton, who originally played Roslyn Coulson, will play Sonia Stevens, originally played by Tina Bursill.

The new-look character is described as a wealthy but self-made dynamo behind a cosmetics empire. She comes into the prison on remand, suspected of the murder of a missing woman.

Foxtel Head of Drama Penny Win said “Wentworth’s fourth season continues the series’ finely-honed evolution as a world class contemporary drama which proudly forges its own path, while fearlessly daring to reimagine characters and elements of the iconic Prisoner series

“Having Sigrid Thornton sign on to return behind the walls of Wentworth is a casting dream and a wonderful acknowledgement of the work the writing team has put into the creation of Sonia Stevens and our plans for her and all our characters.”

FremantleMedia Australia Director of Drama Jo Porter said “Sigrid was always on the top of our casting wish list – adored and admired by audiences for the strong women she has chosen to portray. From the second Sonia Stevens steps from the brawler, there is an unsettling sense all is not as it may seem. I am sure audiences will relish watching Sonia’s long game play out across season four.”

Thornton, who will also appear in ABC’s The Code, is not the first original cast member to return to Wentworth with Anne Charleston and Liddy Clarke having previously appeared, but she is the most high-profile.

Also appearing are Kate Jenkinson (Allie Novak), Bernard Curry (Jake Stewart).

The story will resume on air next year as Bea and her cell-block mates are returning to Wentworth after the fire and rebuilding of H Block to find a new dynamic in play with a new contender for Top Dog. On the outside, Franky is trying hard to be a productive member of society. As always, no-one should underestimate “the Freak”.

The cast includes Danielle Cormack (Bea Smith), Pamela Rabe (Joan Ferguson), Kate Atkinson (Vera Bennett), Nicole da Silva (Franky Doyle), Celia Ireland (Liz Birdsworth), Shareena Clanton (Doreen Anderson), Katrina Milosevic (Sue “Boomer” Jenkins), Robbie Magasiva (Will Jackson), Socratis Otto (Maxine Conway), Tammy MacIntosh (Kaz Proctor), Libby Tanner (Bridget Westfall), Jacquie Brennan (Linda Miles) and in the course of the season introduces Kate Jenkinson (Allie Novak), Bernard Curry (Jake Stewart) and Sigrid Thornton (Sonia Stevens).

Wentworth is a FremantleMedia Australia production for Foxtel with FremantleMedia Australia Director of Drama Jo Porter and Foxtel’s Head of Drama Penny Win as executive producers. Pino Amenta is series producer for season four. The directors are Kevin Carlin, Steve Jodrell, Jet Wilkinson and Adrian Russell Wills. The writers are John Ridley, Pete McTighe, Michael Lucas, Sam Winston and Marcia Gardner, who is both script producer and writer.