Doreen Anderson, Prisoner: Cell Block H

Doreen Anderson (Collette Mann)

Doreen Anderson was an inmate of Wentworth Detention center beginning in the first episode, charged with forgery. She was sexually abused by her father at a young age, which contributed to her acting child-like (originally the character was used as comic relief), and had been in and out of detention centers since young.

She was in a one sided relationship with inmate Franky Doyle, because she found Franky intimidating and scary at times, and thought it best to play along. Doreen escaped Wentworth with Franky early on in the series, and needed Franky to keep her out of trouble even more so when they were out. Following this escape, and the death of Franky Doyle, she turned herself in, an on her return to Wentworth, she tried to cope with her grief by adopting a tough persona not unlike Franky, although that didn’t last long.

Doreen befriended inmate Lynn Warner, and developed an attachment to her as well, and even tried to stop Lynn’s release by getting her into trouble. Doreen was eventually set off by Dr Peter Clements, who, while doing a study on inmates, sent her over the edge by accusing her of being a lesbian which Doreen refused to acknowledge despite her obvious crush on Lynn Warner.

Doreen was eventually released, adopted a false name in order to find a job, and met Kevin Burns. She was caught shoplifting and got sent back to prison, but Kevin was willing to wait, and the two got married inside the Wentworth grounds.

Doreen was part of a work release program at a factory, leaving the prison to work. She was raped by the factory foreman, then consented for a second time in order to get information to help Kevin’s business. Doreen ended up pregnant, Kevin divorced her after he found out the truth, and she tried to kill herself.

Shortly after, Doreen had a miscarriage. Her storylines afterwards included her kidnapping another baby and another attempt to escape, being released and then ending up back in prison to avoid marrying someone she didn’t want to marry.

Female love interests:

• Franky Doyle 💀 (Carol Burns, lesbian, regular)
• Lynn Warner (Kerry Armstrong, straight, regular)

Relationship story arc with a woman: No

Male love interests:

• Kevin Burns (Ian Gilmour, regular, ex-husband)

Relationship story arc with a man: Yes

Filter Relationship Arc:

• Male (Regular)

Storyline during sweeps? No

[1] A relationship story arc is defined as explicit, developed on screen, and lasting more than 3 episodes. It is listed as questionable or subtext if romance is only implied, mentioned instead of shown on screen, part of a dream sequence, or otherwise not explicit for the viewer.
[2] Sweeps episodes air in February, May, July and November, the periods when advertising rates are set. A character is marked as "sweeps" when there is a very limited number of episodes that address their sexuality, all air during sweeps period, and the storyline is otherwise ignore/dropped.