"Of course not Miss Ferguson.."
Phyllis Hunt was a former prisoner of Wentworth Detention Centre,
Phyllis was often used as a heavy or as a part of drug plans.
Hunt exited Wentworth with brain injuries after being assaulted in the shower block.
Life in Prison[]
Beginning life as a non speaking extra, Phyllis was seen in the background of many episodes, with a line here and a mention there. Her character is eventually given more lines and becomes a main character around 390. She is often used as a heavy, or used to set someone up, whether she knows it or not.
Along with Pat and Di, becomes one of Doreen's cronies early in the series after Doreen starts acting "tough". She helps Bea and the women play a practical joke on Jim Fletcher during the first aid classes, focusing on his haemophobia. Later in the season, she takes part in the Christmas panto, playing Martha Eaves taking Vera Bennett (Bea) hostage.
Helps out in Bea and Judy Bryant's riot, though she and Margo initially object. During the pantomime escape, she acts as a stand-in for Doreen Burns, playing Cinderella while Doreen escapes
When Margo Gaffney starts taking over in 1981 after Bea's transfer, Phyllis eventually allies with her, Lil and Bev against Judy and Doreen.
Is seen to be a good friend of Hazel Kent, sharing a cell with her by the time Sandy Edwards takes over. She and Hazel keep watch of the corridors by the laundry, nearly catching Officer Conway.
After Faye Quinn takes over the gambling, Phyllis and Lil Stokes bash her for failing to pay out.
Disappears for a while around the time prior to the fire. When she reappears, she often is seen as a customer of Nola McKenzie when Nola is dealing. Befriends Maxine, and helps look after Lainie Dobson when Lainie and Babs Martin have acid trips. When Denise Tyler lags on Bea for assault, she and Maxine bash her.
When the tattooist is in, Phyllis is one of his customers for a removal, apparently having a tattoo in a very personal area....
When Maxine Daniels friend Roxanne Bradshaw plans to sell her baby, Phyllis attempts to dissuade her, revealing her own heartbreak at having to give her daughter up for adoption as a teenager. This is one of the experiences, along with her recidivism and eventual estrangement from her brother that turns Phyllis into a more bitter, villainous character.
Later in the series, when Hazel is dying from a brain tumour, and comes to visit, Phyllis cannot face seeing her. She is shown to be terrified of illness, becoming hysterical during the Lassa Fever outbreak, especially when Lizzie falls ill and Officer Sharpe dies.
On one of Bea Smith's many escapes, Phyllis provided the hair dye for Bea to change her hair colour. Unfortunately Phyllis was later used in a set up to get rid of Bea.
Phyllis along with Mary Adler and several others targeted Sonia Stevens when she was imprisoned, as her husband Eddie was their arresting officer. Her attempts to plash ground glass in Sonia's bed and razor blades in her soap are outsmarted by Sonia, and she is intimidated into taking Sonia's side against Bea.
Joan Ferguson uses Phyllis, Mary and Frances Harvey to attack screw killer Cass Parker after her transfer to Wentworth, though this backfires when Cass beats them all in the brawl.
She organises the hanging of Joan Ferguson.
Phyllis allies herself with Reb against Cass, Minnie and co. for the promise of drugs and other contraband, though Joan attempts to use her to beat Reb. During the escape from the choir group bus, Reb double crosses her, leading to Phyllis taking the driver's young daughter hostage (434). She later tries to frame Cass and Judy for this.
Eventually Phyllis messes up a scheme by Reb Kean to bring drugs into Wentworth, during the fair when Cass sells her pot plant to her brother, Phyllis tries to buy it back but it causes a rift and when she is caught by Joan. Reb takes revenge by cornering Phyllis in the shower block bashing her with a wooden statue, causing her brain damage (460). Phyllis is taken to hospital as a result.
Phyllis' isn't seen after this, but her boyfriend Brian Lowe begins terrorising governor Ann Reynolds in an attempt to avenge her.
Later Mention[]
- In episode 580 while confronting Kean, Joan Ferguson mentions Phyllis, saying that "she is a vegetable now thanks to you", which meant that Phyllis had not fully recovered from her injuries.