The Imposter viewers call out Helen’s wig as Channel 5 prop steals the show

‘It literally looks like it’s been cut with a knife and fork’

The Imposter may have divided opinion since landing on Channel 5, but there is one detail that has united viewers – and it has nothing to do with the plot twists or rising body count – instead, it is Helen’s wig.

It has stolen the spotlight, becoming the most talked-about part of the four-part thriller.

The series promised plenty, boasting a cast packed with familiar faces including Dannii Minogue, Jackie Woodburne and Kym Marsh, alongside stars from Neighbours and Home and Away.

Yet for many watching at home, it was the prop of Helen’s wig rather than a performance that became the unexpected star of The Imposter.

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Jackie Woodburne as Helen and her magnificent wig and Jackson Gallagher as son Ian in The Imposter (Credit: C5)

Viewers name Helen’s wig as the real star of The Imposter

In The Imposter, Jackie Woodburne plays Helen O’Riley, a mother of four whose life is turned upside down when she is reunited with her long-lost daughter. As the title suggests, all is not quite as it seems with ‘daughter’ Amanda, and the story quickly spirals into a dark, twisty thriller. However, viewers have been far more fixated on Helen’s appearance than the show’s central mystery.

Jackie, best known as Neighbours legend Susan Kennedy, wears a noticeably dowdy wig for the role – and fans were quick to call it out as the biggest imposter of all. Social media lit up with commentary as the episodes aired, with one viewer writing on X: “The wig Jackie Woodburne wears in #TheImposter is the biggest on screen fail since Courteney Cox in Scream 3.”

Another questioned: “The question is WHY do Queen Jackie wrong like that?! #theimposter #wig.” A third joked: “How much was that wig paid for its part in this series? #TheImposter.”

Others were equally unforgiving, with comments suggesting the storyline should somehow address the hairpiece. One viewer said: “Surely the story has to address that awful wig at some point,” while another added: “The Imposter has done the lovely Jackie dirty with that god awful wig. It literally looks like it’s been cut with a knife and fork.”

Descriptions ranged from “beyond awful” to “atrocious” and “heinous”. Whether viewers loved or loathed it, most agreed the wig delivered a performance that was, quite literally, hard to ignore.
The Wig leads the cast of The Imposter (Credit: Channel 5)

Jackie Woodburne’s accent in The Imposter

The criticism did not stop there. Some viewers also questioned Jackie’s accent in the show. Although the actress was born in Northern Ireland and grew up in Australia, not everyone was convinced by Helen’s Irish tones. “Watching The Imposter. Not sure about Jackie’s dodgy accent. It’s almost as bad as that wig #TheImposter,” one viewer commented.

Another urged: “The wig, the accent. Stop whatever you’re doing right now and watch The Imposter on Channel 5.” A third summed it up by saying: “It was like an Australian Acorn Antiques with a very obvious wig and even odder Irish accent. More soap than thriller but entertaining for all the wrong reasons.”
Don Hany as Helen’s eldest son Simon in The Imposter (Credit: Channel 5)

The Imposter: Are Helen and her wig old enough to be Simon’s mum?

Some viewers also questioned whether Helen was believable as the mother of Simon, played by Don Hany. One joked: “The only thing harder than the wig to digest is that the Temu Pierce from Neighbours is her son. Seems old enough to be the husband!”

In reality, Don Hany is 50 and Jackie Woodburne is 69, making their on-screen relationship entirely plausible. Helen’s backstory explains that she fell pregnant out of wedlock with her childhood sweetheart, gave the baby up for adoption, then later moved to Australia and had three more children.

And, as many fans pointed out, this is a Channel 5 thriller. Logic is often optional. Love it or loathe it, Helen’s wig has certainly ensured that The Imposter will be remembered – if not for the reasons its creators may have intended.