Wendy Playfair

It’s with the heaviest of hearts that we say goodbye to the magnificent Wendy Playfair. To those of us who knew her, she wasn’t just the brilliant actress who brought Minnie Donovan to life on our screens; she was our Aunty Wendy, our confidante, and the woman with the most cackling, joyful laugh that could fill a room and make all your worries seem small. I’ll never forget sitting with her in her sun-drenched living room, a cup of tea always in hand, as she’d recount stories from the set—not the glamorous ones, but the ones about the shared sandwiches, the forgotten lines that turned into the best takes, and the profound, sisterly bond she formed with the women of ‘Wentworth’. She spoke of that time not as a job, but as a profound privilege, a chapter of her life wrapped in friendship and creative fire. Wendy’s world revolved around her family. She was a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, her home always open, her fridge always stocked for unexpected visitors. Her passions were the quiet, beautiful ones: her garden, where she’d chat to her roses as if they were old friends; her beloved books, piled high by her favourite armchair; and the simple, profound act of listening. She had