This episode picks up where series 2 ended. Jim's enjoyment in Shell's cell soon comes to an end as she violently stabbed him with the broken bottle - Karen heared his screams and called in all available staff. Despite her protests, Helen drove Nikki back to Larkhall and was reassured of her ability to do so when she heared about the mayhem on the wing. After numerous attemps to make Shell give in, The officers (now in full riot uniform) stormed into the cell and finally overpowered Shell and got Jim out. Shell was then taken down the block. Helen smuggled Nikki back to her cell and because of the mayhem upstairs, no-one noticed! As the episode ends, we see Jim flat-lining on the stretcher, with Marilyn screaming and Dr Nicholson trying in vein to resuscitate him...!

Dr Nicholson succeeded in saving Jim's life and he was quickly rushed to hospital. Sylvia, enraged at the fact that Shell wasn't being punished for her attack on Jim, decideds to take justice into her own hands - after a word with Dr Nicholson, Shell was transferred to the 'muppet wing'. Julie Saunders decided to apply to be a part of a tagging scheme so that she could see her son David's school play. Jim continued to recover well at the hospital. Sylvia excelled herself when she put Mad Tessa Spall as Shell's cellmate and, with the help of PO Wheeler, took further action by making Podger Pam attack her. Later in the week and to Sylvia's disgust, Shell was later allowed back on G-Wing - Sylvia then called on the PO's to go on strike!

Julie S was released to Monica Lindsay's 'halfway house' with an electronic tag, leaving Julie J distraught back at Larkhall. The officers were out on 'mass sick leave' so the inmates jumped at the chance to run the wing for themselves; A problem occured though in the form of a large knife going missing from the kitchens...Who could have taken it? Di Barker was devastated to learn that Dominic McAllister would not be coming back. Her dreams shattered, she turned her rage towards the thing that had blighted her life for so long - her ageing, sick mother. Triggered by her son David's performance in his school play, Macbeth, Julie S suddenly realised the extent of her Julie J's misery. She then too desperate measures to return to Larkhall...possibly the first ever prison break-in! Seeing what her friend had done for her, Julie J returned the knife to it's rightful place. Helen concluded that Shell's attack on Jim was indeed pre-meditated.

Barbara Hunt was shocked to hear that she'd been accused of bigamy by her step-children, a crime she later admitted was true! A new officer, Gina Rossi arrived on G-Wing, setting male temperatures soaring and getting right up the nose of Sylvia, Karen and inmates alike! Yvonne Atkins got quite a few visits from male 'lawyers' - Sylvia tried to catch her but, to her embarassment, when a real lawyer was there! Charlie's lawyer told Yvonne that he needed her help to get him off his charges. Josh offered the secretly obsessed Di Barker some friendly advice in the wake of Dominic's departure: 'Find someone else'!...If only he knew...

16 year-old crack addict Buki Lester arrived at Larkhall - her body piercings prompted Shaz to self-peirce Denny's tongue...with life threatening consequences! Yvonne double-crossed Charlie in court and told the jury that she's known all along the packages were drugs - to her despair, Charlie got off because he ""got at the jury""...Lauren had a nasty surprise waiting though in the form of hitman, who fired a bullet right between his eyes! Jim fenner returned to work at Larkhall - but found himself terrorised by Shell. Gina Rossi showed the women what she's made of in the Officers vs Inmates pool tournament - where Jim was horrified when he saw who was chosen as his opponent! Josh passed his PO exam.

'Podger Pam' arrived on G-wing's Lifer's Unit, to the alarm of the other inmates. Helen Stewart suspected that her mental state had been horribly misdiagnosed so brought in new prison doctor Thomas Waugh. Karen and Helen went to see Simon Stubberfield about Dr Nicholson's incompetence and got him sacked. The two Julies discoved a stray cat hiding in the prison bins and later discovered it was female when it gave birth to kittens. Josh had an eventful induction period as a trainee PO. Di discovered Josh was living with Crystal. Shell contiuned to taunt Jim, who was still scared of her. The tension between Jim and Helen reached new heights when Jim tried to assert his power by sexually assaulting her!

A fly-on-the-wall TV documentary crew, Kicking Productions, arrived at HMP Larkhall to make a series, creating havoc in the process. Jim Fenner wanted Shell Dockley out of Larkhall for good, and so was willing to go to any lengths to get rid of her...even helping her to escape! Helen told Nikki about Jim's assault on her - meaning that Jim now had yet another enemy on G Wing. Buki's tough girl image disappeared when she was found bleeding in her cell after a violent display of self-harm - and it was all caught on camera by the documentary crew, along with shocking revelations about her childhood. Shell, Denny and Shaz succeeded in their attempt to escape using the keys and money that Jim had left them - unfortunately for Shaz, she sprained her ankle and so had to be left behind...Sylvia realised numbers were down and so began frantically searching...to no avail!

Shell and Denny celebrated their freedom with a drugs and vodka binge...and Sylvia and Bobby Hollamby received a terrible visit from the pair, hell-bent on revenge! G-Wing was in chaos due to the escape and Jim Fenner a very worried man - especially when Shaz was brought back to Larkhall and questioned. Crystal was horrified to find Shell and Denny on her doorstep but agreed to let them stay the night - Shell, as vindictive as ever, repaid the favour in a way that would have disastrous consequences for Crystal's future. Simon Stubberfield was sacked as prison governor. Denny and Shell, armed with false passports, wigs and stolen cash, made their way to the airport but where were they going, and had left Larkhall behind forever?

Aristocratic ‘it-girl' Charlotte Myddleton is sentenced to a year in Larkhall for drug offences - the other inmates don't react too kindly to the new Prada-clad prisoner, especially when she treats them like lepers! Josh began his new job as a PO but got a terrible shock when he saw Crystal, who was back at Larkhall after being set up by Shell! Di deliberately rigged a drugs test to get Crystal in trouble, hoping that Josh would leave her because of it. Buki leaked information to a newpaper about Charlotte talking drugs, which was true but wasn't detected due to Di swapping her results with Crystals! We saw Shell and Denny in sunny Spain, having fun on a boat - it's a long was from Larkhall but will they ever return?...

Crystal is on a hunger strike to protest about her drugs test results and, after a retest is proved right! - Josh then realises what Di did and prepares for a confronation! Jim was horrified to learn that Helen was the governing governor, replacing Simon Stubberfield! Helen officially appointed Dr Waugh as new prison doctor and seemed to get on really well with him. Josh and Crystal got 'married' in the prison chapel in a service conducted by Babs. Nikki received news that her appeal was being transferred to the high court, meaning she had a good chance of being successful. The Peckham Boot Gang made a noisy arrival at Larkhall but what wing will they be on?(!) After a heavy confronation with Josh about the drugs tests, Di took out her violent anger once again on her mother, and the next day after being called ""sick"" by Josh, spiralled out of control - after being taken home by Jim, she was horrified when he discovered her badly bruised, neglected mother in her house!

The Peckham boot gang arrives on G-Wing, causing chaos! Nigerian prisoner, Femi, can't speak a word of english and a peaceful protest about her treatment, led by Nikki, goes horrible wrong after the Boot Gang turns it into a full-scale riot! Charlotte Myddleton is shipped out to an open-prison. Al begins bullying Shaz but gets more than she bargains for from Yvonne - will Al and the rest of the Boot Gang ""waste her""?! During the riot, a new prisoner, Caroline, catches Nikki's eye. Violence erupted further when the screws, in full riot uniform, attempted to put the inmates into their cells! Helen was furious with Nikki after Sylvia told her about her envolvment with the 'peaceful protest'!

The riot finally ended peacefully because Nikki locked the Peckham boot gang in their cells - sadly for her though, Helen told Nikki that their relationship was over because of the part she had played in the chaos. Nikki then took an interest in new prisoner Caroline. The Julies argued over their plans for the future now that Julie S had met Trevor again but to their horror, they were re-arrested outside the prison gates for past crimes they had committed while working for Virginia O'Kane as 'The 2 Trudies'. Helen seemed to be yet more friendly with Dr Waugh. Femi was moved to E-Wing with Fatima, an english-speaking Nigerian prisoner. Nikki was perplexed as to why Helen was telling her to ""be careful"" of Caroline but found out from Maxi that Caroline's crime wasn't fraud...she was in prison for sexually abusing children!!

Shaz was bullied again by Al. Di Barker had a sexual encounter in the toilets with Gina Rossi's boyfriend Mark. She lied perfectly to cover her tracks until the end of the episode, when she couldn't hide how hurt she was when Mark said that ""She meant nothing to him"" - A distraught Gina then told Mark she was pregnant! The Julies returned to G-Wing...and so did Virginia O'Kane! Josh continued to ignore Di. Virginia's disability proved a challenge for the officers. To Maxi and Al's disgust, Tina seemed to take a shine to Virginia. Jim, as corrupt as ever, offered to collect Virginia's brothel money for her...for a 50% share of course!...

Jim began his 'after-hours job' collecting money from Virginia's brothels. Helen was determined to prove that Jim is unfit to work with female prisoners and was very happy when Yvonne told her about the job he was participating in for Virginia. After yet another arguement between Helen and Jim, Karen made it clear to Helen that she was on Jim's side. Di spread lies about Gina. Virginia, while alone in her cell, stood up to look in the mirror, proving that her disability was a lie. Shaz asked for a transfer to the lifers' unit to get away from Al, but Dr Waugh suggested an unorthodox way of boosting her self-esteem. Crystal received the date for her court appearance. Gina and Di came to blows over Mark, with tragic consequences. Helen and Dr Waugh went to the dog races together and later, at his flat, shared a kiss!

Josh received a surprise package from Denny that could prove Crystal's innocence. Jim told Nikki that Helen is now seeing Dr Waugh - Something Helen didn't deny! Virginia's disability was publically outed as a scam by Al. Helen continued to lie in wait for Jim at Virginia's brothels - she finally found him and told him she wanted his resignation letter or she would tell Karen and area. Jim blackmails Di into helping him find evidence about Helen's relationship with Nikki and is overjoyed when he finds in Babs' diary about Nikki's escape. Defeated by this new evidence, Helen has no ammo against Jim and is blackmailed by him to resign. Crystal was found guilty because Karen gave her a bad character statement - this was because Sylvia's stolen clock (remember that?) was found and returned to Karen!

On the day of Nikki's trial, Fenner tries one last time to jepordise her chances by trying to blackmail Di into putting a scalpel into Nikki's bag - luckily, Di refused as they left for court. Virginia O'Kane received a hostile reaction from all the girls except Tina Purvis, who was beaten up by her sister for being so sympathetic. Back at the courthouse, evidence has been given and the jury have their verdict - Nikki's sentence is reduced to three years for manslaughter...time she has already served so she is a free woman! As Di entered the bathrooms to check things are OK when she saw the lifeless body of Virginia - with Yvonne standing nearby...is she capable of murder or has Fenner set her up? In sunny Spain, we finally catch up with escapees Shell and Denny - the Spanish police have found them but we are left to wonder whether they survived after jumping into the sea to escape! In the final scene Nikki was in a club with Trish but no Helen - she walked sadly outside and heare

The action continues from the point where we left off last time - as Yvonne is put down the Block, The officers learn from a news report that Shell's body was nenver found in the Spanish waters but Denny's was...alive! Josh felt it was time to own up to Crystal's 'Virgin Pregnancy' and told Karen the truth and offered his resignation. Karen had second thoughts about her engagement to Jim after facts, items from his locker and Helen's harassment case showed up, resulting in her throwing the ring back in his face! Yvonne was charged with Virginia's murder because Jim had planted Virginia's diary under her pillow! - unable to face life behind bars, she took drastic measures to escape and, with the departing Josh's help, knocked the power out, stole Sylvia's keys and managed it..or did she?

Yvonne's escape bid was foiled by Jim, Karen and PO Blakeson so she spent the week down the block. New PO Barry Pearce arrives on G-Wing, along with new Governor Neil Grayling, who seems to have big ideas for Larkhall...ones that dont involve Karen! Barry caught Di's eye and made such an impression that she asked him to move in with her. Karen tore up Helen Stewart's sexual harassment report against Jim. Sylvia was put in charge of the newly privatised canteen and got off to a bad start by selling out-of-date items. Neil demoted Karen to uniform and promoted Jim to the Wing-governor position! Shaz and PO Blakeson were on the receiving end of Barry's violent temper - are we seeing his true colours?

As Jim continued to play power games over Maxi, he quickly realised that she will not be made a fool of, and more alarmingly that she killed Virginia! Shaz and Barbara tried to stop Di making a big mistake by ringing and cancelling the wedding - they succeeded! After being faced with a computer, computer-phobic Sylvia took credit for Barbara's work, prompting Neil to give her more. On the night of the failed wedding, Barry hit Di at her house; does she now see his true colours? Jim asked Yvonne to help him nail Maxi after being blackmailed by her over 'his' part in Virginia's death.

Denny returned to Larkhall...but without Shell. Two new inmates arrived - City high-flyer Cassie Tyler and Roisin Connor; both found it hard to adjust to prison life. After hearing Di Dump him, Barry violently attacked Barbara and then Shaz - questioned later by Mark, Di refused to back-up his lie and exposed him as a woman-beater! Barry later resigned. Neil asked Sylvia to take a computer class for the inmates even though she is totally computer illiterate! Shaz began digging an escape tunnel in the potting shed. Denny pretended to be interested in Al so that she could get information for Yvonne - she succeeded and taped Al's 'confession', landing Al and Maxi in deep water and to Yvonne finally being cleared!

Tina was visibly distraught after discovering who murdered Virginia. Neil made himself more unpopular by banning the officers smoking and using the Gym. Yvonne had a catfight with Maxi and to her surprise, Tina joined in to help her! - is this the end of the Peckham Boot Gang? Denny and Shaz' tunnel plan took a possibly tragic twist when Buki found out and demanded to be a part of the operation...a tunnel collapse put her life in danger! Julie J's daughter Rhiannon showed up on G-Wing. Karen seemed to be getting close to Mark but Jim, for some reason, warned her off him. Sylvia's computer class was a disaster because of her less-than-basic skills and with the fact that pornography was found on the second-hand machines. Jim moved in with Neil but...shall we say...(as numerous hints suggested) why exactly did his wife divorce him...?!

Sylvia and Mark managed to save Buki's life after the tunnel collapse. Roisin told Cassie that she had withdrawn the statement and so was staying at Larkhall. Rhiannon asked Buki to get her drugs but Buki was scared off by the Julies. Jim tried harder to split Karen and Mark up, this time by banning them acting like a couple at work. Roisin asked Buki for ""something to help her sleep"". The Julies took painful revenge on Rhiannon's boyfriend/pimp by tipping boiling water all over him in the visiting room - they were put on report and were devastated to discover that they would have been released in a few days because without Virginia, the case against them collapsed!

Jim finally realised that Neil has far more than a professional interest in him. Shaz & Denny sent Buki fake pen pal letters to get revenge for the potting shed incident. Mark and Karen continued their romance. The Julies learned that they would get an additional 4 years for GBH and would lose all their priveliges. Roisin was devastated to learn that she couldn't see her children because she had taken some drugs. Karen learned about Neil's secret but when trying to confront him about it, was shocked to learn that he had photographs of her in the shower given to him ""by Jim""!

Jim tells Neil that he's told personnel that he's been sexually harassing him. Buki slits her wrists in response to Denny and Shaz's bullying. Yvonne, playing the mother figure, told Denny and Shaz to give a months' spends to Buki as 'compensation' - Shaz was very reluctant and unsympathetic. Karen was still furious with Jim for giving Neil the private photos of her. Neil was not going to be beaten by Jim so firstly, got 'romantically involved' with Di Barker to quash Jim's rumours and secondly, he found a back-up of Helen Stewart's sexual assault report against Jim and revealed to Karen that he had been trying to track helen down! He also hinted to Karen that he was considering making her wing governor again. Roisin continued to use drugs. The inmates heared rumours from Fenner and Noreen that Neil was gay. The Julies conspired to get their kitchen jobs back by putting cockroaches in the pancakes! After returning to the wing, Maxi tried to get Shaz (fresh from her arguement with Yvonn

...Shaz saved Yvonne at the last second, enabling Yvonne to turn the tables on Maxi. After nearly being killed, Maxi seemed to realise that she wasn't invincible and for the first time, seemed scared. Crystal went into labour and had to have her baby in her cell - she named the Baby Zandra, in her late friends' memory and Josh came to visit her. Buki seemed to take an interest in the baby and when on the MBU, took a shine to another woman's baby. She was later devastated to learn that both the baby and it's mother had AIDS. Neil continued to undermine Jim by calling a staff meeting so that the G-Wing staff could slag him off behind his back...A plan that seemed to work; did Jim really quit? Karen regretted going to see Jim when he sexually assaulted her - it looks like she now beleives what Helen Stewart said in her report. Cassie and Babs' plan to rig the canteen spreadsheet seemed to be working. Buki revealed to Mark that when she was 13, she had given birth to a baby that was dead w

Karen told the police that Jim had raped her. Buki continued loving baby Baxter and persuaded Mark to take her and Crystal to the park, with their babies. Crystal, fed up with the terrible prison conditions, attempted to run away from Mark, but was caught. She later sent baby Zandra home with Josh so that she would be safer. The canteen was short of stock due to Cassie's scam. Roisin told Yvonne that Cassie fancied her. After some persuading from Neil, Karen dropped the charges against Jim - Jim, realising he owed Neil, handed him his wing-governor resignation, leaving the position open for karen. Maxi, now acting like a totally different character, was upset when Tina continued to disown her. Buki was devastated to learn that baby Baxter had died during the night and revealed to Mark that the baby she has abandoned wasn't stillborn, but alive!

Neil was forced to make Sylvia wing governor when Karen turned down the post. Neil and Sylvia were horrified to see prison inspectors by the gate - they were even more horrified when the inspectors saw the disasterous loss of the canteen! Shaz organised a fight with Al in the gymn but at the last minute, Maxi took Al's place, determined to get her reputation back! Mark discovered that Buki's baby was still alive and had been adopted. Babs seemed to be getting very friendly with Henry, the new prison vicar. After losing spectacularly to Shaz, Maxi killed herself, with Al's help, by choking herself with tissue paper!...Sylvia, faced with another day of inspections, forced the Julies to help her move Maxi's body away from the inspectors so they wouldn't see it! Neil told Jim that he'd promote Mark to a higher position at another prison so that he was away from Karen...but only if he asked ""very nicely!""

Sylvia's attempt to hide Maxi's corpse in the chapel is exposed when it rolls out of it's hiding place during a church service! Mark was offered a promotion at a prison in the North but didn't want to go because of Karen...until she told him that she didn't love him! Yvonne's estranged son, Ritchie, came to visit Yvonne but ended the day in Karen's newly empty bed! At Maxi's funeral, Tina was distraught when her father told her that he would never love her as much as Maxi! Tina later decided to transform herself into Julie O'Kane, with the 2 Julies' help. Sylvia was told that due to her horrendous mistakes, the wing governor post would be re-advertised. Babs told the vicar about the fight but was horrified when she learned that he had told Neil - because of this, Shaz was shipped out of Larkhall, never to be seen again...!

Denny was distraught when she found out that Shaz had been shipped out. Snowball Merriman, a 'hollywood actress' arrived to fill Shaz' vacant bunk, but didn't get off to a good start with Yvonne. Neil finally told Di that he was gay - she then shocked him by suggesting they marry anyway for both their interests! The two Julies went on trial for GBH and watched as Rhiannon testified against them...they got 8 years. Yvonne and Cassie discovered that Snowball wasn't really a Hollywood actress - she was the star of numerous porn films! Babs confessed that it was her fault that Shaz was shipped out because she had confided in Henry, who had told Neil. Jim seemed to be getting very friendly with new inmate Snowball and Sylvia was annoyed when she was told to phone hostels to search for Jessie Devlin, Denny's mother.

Neil and Di further discussed their sham marriage. Rhiannon was overcome with guilt after the Julies got 8 years - Julie S told her that she wouldn't forgive her until she went to college and turned her life around. We learned that Snowball was planning a breakout and that her partner in crime was no other than Ritchie Atkins! Henry asked Babs what she was going to do when she was released. Mark left Larkhall forever but not before nutting Jim right where it hurts! Denny was devastated to learn from Sylvia that her mother had died and was moreuspet when she discovered that a birthday card among her mothers things was faked, by the Julies. Crystal was finally released and was met at the gate by Josh and baby Zandra, and a present from Di to make up for the things she had done in the past. Snowball told Jim that there was a planned breakout...but that it was Yvonne who was planning it!

Karen returned from her holidays to be met by Ritchie Atkins - She later told Yvonne about her relationship with her son, leaving Yvonne visibly annoyed. Neil's stag night turned out to be a dinner for two...for him and Jim - After slipping a drug into Jim's wine, Neil finally got what he wanted, much to Jim's disgust the following morning! Cassie and Roisin found out from the internet that Buki's son was disabled, causing Buki to start cutting herself again. The '3' Julies signed up for an education class but found that only Julie S was cut out for it. We finally learned about Snowball's dangerous plan - to plant a bomb on G-Wing to help her escape...!

In this thrilling series finale, the prison open day has arrived. Di and Neil are married but Jim still feels uncomfortable knowing that it's a marriage of convenience. Yvonne finally realises that her son and Snowball are setting her up but it's too late as she is carried down the block by Fenner. Karen & Jim find a planted gun in her bag so put it in her drawer. After the guests are taken outside by Sylvia and Di, 11:00 comes and Snowball's bomb detonates, seriously injuring Neil who was in the library - thanks to Roisin's quick thinking, his life was saved. Snowball, now dressed as a nun, was stopped at the last possible moment by Karen at the gate and immediately put down the block after being strip-searched. Sylvia and Jim maliciously put her in the same cell as Yvonne, and told Yvonne ""She's all yours, you've got 5 minutes""! Shaz and Denny were locked in a visiting room when the bomb detonated and are trapped - sadly for Shaz, she was too high on magic mushrooms to realise the da