<P> Wentworth is an Australian television drama program . It was first broadcast on SoHo on 1 May 2013 . The series serves as a contemporary reimagining of Prisoner, which ran on Network Ten from 1979 to 1986 . Lara Radulovich and David Hannam developed Wentworth from Reg Watson's original concept . The series is set in the modern day and initially focuses on Bea Smith's (Danielle Cormack) early days in prison and her subsequent rise to the top of the prison's hierarchy . Following Cormack's departure from the show at the end of the fourth season, the series shifted its focus onto a more ensemble format . </P> <P> For the first three seasons, Wentworth was filmed on purpose - built sets in the suburbs of Clayton, Victoria . Production moved to Newport, Victoria, starting with the fourth season . The show has received a mostly positive reception from critics, and the first episode became the most watched Australian drama series premiere in Foxtel history . The series was picked up by several countries, including New Zealand and the UK, where it has been retitled Wentworth Prison . </P> <P> A sixth season was commissioned by Foxtel on 9 May 2017, which premiered on 19 June 2018 . A seventh season was commissioned in April 2018, before the sixth season premiere, with filming commencing the following week and a premiere set for 2019 . </P> <P> Wentworth is set in modern - day Australia and focuses on Bea Smith (Danielle Cormack) when she first enters prison after being charged with the attempted murder of her husband . Bea is separated from her daughter and sent to Wentworth on remand, where she lives in "an uncertain limbo" until she is sentenced . Starting at the bottom of Wentworth's hierarchy, Bea is forced to learn how to survive in prison . </P>

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