Simone feels that her character Helen Stewart has become "a lot freer this series. She doesn't have to fight so hard. She's much more relaxed in her appearance - her clothes, her hair, her body language - she's quite a changed woman. She's got rid of her past and she's moving forward. You have to remember, that she was all set to get married, before Nikki turned her world upside down. Her whole life has changed, which is interesting for an actress to play. Major things have happened to Helen this series and she's shed a load! She's certainly been different to play this series.

"Changing her job within the prison means that she's not so much on the defensive. I think that she found being a governor very hard, and she hadn't expected it to be that way. Helen had wanted to 'change the world' but the reality was very different: but she'll still fight and show her strength when her back's up against the wall".

"Her new job at Area Level, gives her much more freedom, and more flexibility with her relationship with Nikki. She comes to terms with the fact that she's in love with Nikki. She'd never had a relationship with a woman and had never perceived herself as wanting to have one - let alone with a prisoner. It is an impossible situation but somehow it becomes stronger and stronger, despite all the complications".

Sensitive issues are raised for Helen: "questions about the fact that she wanted children, and how to proceed within a lesbian relationship - all of which she is now having to deal with and come to terms with. Nikki has always been clear about her feelings towards Helen, but for Helen it is much more complicated - she is still adjusting to the changes inside herself. Helen really doesn't know how she feels about it all, but her ultimate desire is to get Nikki out on appeal and see where the relationship goes from there. In reality, they can't get past the first stage in their relationship within a prison environment. And, of course, the relationship has to be kept secret".

"I'm very into the internet and for me one of the most exciting things about Bad Girls has been the fan base that has come from the Bad Girls web site."