Lynne McGranger

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Lynne McGranger
Lynne McGranger arrives at the 2016 TV Week Logie Awards (26814449462) (cropped).jpg
Lynne McGranger at the 2016 Logie Awards
Born (1953-01-29) 29 January 1953 (age 72)
Paddington, New South Wales, Australia
OccupationActress
Years active1989–present
Known for Irene Roberts in Home And Away
Spouse
Paul McWaters
​
(m. 1991)​
Children1

Lynne McGranger (born 29 January 1953) is an Australian actress, who rose to prominence for her portrayal as Irene Roberts on the Australian soap opera Home and Away for over 32 years. [1] [2] She joined the series in 1993, and is the longest serving female cast member of a television soap opera in Australia. McGranger announced her departure from Home and Away on 23 February 2025. [3] In August that year, she won the Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television.

Contents

Career

McGranger was born to Bruce and Audrey. [4] She originally was a primary school teacher who trained at the Riverina College of Advanced Education in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, in 1975 where she had her initial actor training. She started her career in stage roles, early roles included Rose in Bye Bye Birdie and Anita in West Side Story . After further experience with the Q Theatre in Penrith, west of Sydney, she started working in television and won a small part in soap opera The Flying Doctors .

She undertook her best-known role on 12 January 1993, when she joined the cast of Home and Away playing Irene Roberts. At first cast in a guest role, McGranger was made a permanent cast member on 7 October 1993. In 2014 McGranger overtook former co-star Kate Ritchie as the longest serving actress to play the same character in Australian television.

McGranger was a participant in the fourteenth season of Dancing with the Stars . [5]

On 23 February 2025, McGranger announced her departure from Home and Away. She would film her final scenes at the end of March, and her on-screen exit aired on 19 August. [3] [6] McGranger confirmed she made the decision after appearing in a production of musical comedy The Grandparents Club in 2024 and she said that it was a "full circle moment". [3] On-screen, Irene is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and McGranger revealed that she wanted her character's exit to "matter", and wanted it to be educational and important for those who had suffered from Alzheimer's. [7]

On 16 June 2025, McGranger received a nomination for the Gold Logie Award and the Logie Award for Best Actress. [8] On 3 August, McGranger won both accolades. [9] After taking some time off to travel, McGranger began appearing in a new touring season of The Grandparents Club. [3] She also made an appearance on the health and lifestyle series The House of Wellness in September 2025. [10]

Personal life

McGranger was born in the Sydney suburb of Paddington in 1953. She has one daughter, Clancy (b. 1991), with her husband of more than thirty years, Paul McWaters. [11] She is a fan of cricket, and is also interested in history. [12] McGranger is also a supporter of the Sydney Swans. [13]

Lynne McGranger in 2009 Lynne McGranger crop.jpg
Lynne McGranger in 2009

Acting credits

Film and television performances
YearTitleRoleNotes
1989 The Flying Doctors Janet WilliamsGuest role
1990 Skirts DotGuest role
1991 Street Angels JoanTV film
1993–2025 Home and Away Irene Roberts Series regular
1993 Seven Deadly Sins Guest role
1994 Sky Trackers JackGuest role
2006Reasons Beyond MeLynShort film
2012GingersRedheaded MotherShort film
2015 Home and Away: An Eye for an Eye Irene RobertsMain role
2016 Home and Away: Revenge Main role
2017 Home and Away: All or Nothing Main role
2018Why Can't IMotherShort film
2019Equivocal RedemptionSamantha's MotherFilm
2021Equivocal Redemption: The SeriesSamantha's MotherMiniseries
Theatre performances
YearTitleRoleTheatre/company
1979Paradise RegainedLustQ Theatre
1980 Happy End FlyQ Theatre
1984Bleedin' ButterfliesChristineM.R.P.G.
1985Around the BendJohn HepworthM.R.P.G.
1986Luck of the DrawDianne Playbox Theatre
1988Dags in Full FlightMay Day Le Joke
1989Jack's DaughtersPat Melbourne Workers Theatre
1989The Natural NormansNorman Norman Edinburgh Festival Fringe
1991Inside OutKat Anthill Theatre
1992Daily GrindLouieMelbourne Workers Theatre
1995 Dick Whittington Fairy Bowbells Brighton Dome
1998 Jack and the Beanstalk Fairy Peapod Grand Opera House, York
2000 Aladdin Genie of the Ring Tameside Hippodrome
2004 Pinter's – The Lover SarahThe Acting Factory
2004 Cinderella Fairy Godmother Theatre Royal, Lincoln
2006CinderellaFairy Godmother White Rock Theatre
2007HoneyMum Riverside Theatres
2008Jack & the BeanstalkFairy Godmother Lyceum Theatre, Crewe
2010Jack & the BeanstalkWicked Witch Kings Theatre, Southsea
2012 The Vagina Monologues Old Jewish WomanLivid Productions
2012Jack & the BeanstalkFleshcreep Weymouth Pavilion
2024The Grandparents ClubLizNational tour
2025The Grandparents Club 2LizNational tour

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef.
1974Wagga Wagga Drama FestivalBest ActressWon [15]
2016 Inside Soap Awards Best Daytime StarHome and AwayNominated [16]
2017Nominated [17]
2023 Logie Awards Most Popular Actress Nominated [18]
2025 Best Lead Actress in a DramaWon [9]
Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television Won

Honours and recognition

In 2023, McGranger's Home and Away character Irene Roberts came second in TV Week's 100 Greatest Australian TV Characters, behind Ray Meagher's Alf Stewart. [19]

References

  1. ↑ "Home and Away star Lynne McGranger's big wake up call". msn.com. 5 September 2019. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  2. ↑ "Lynne McGranger biography". au.tv.yahoo.com. Retrieved 29 June 2010.[ permanent dead link ]
  3. 1 2 3 4 Rigden, Clare (23 February 2025). "TV star Lynne McGranger to leave Home and Away after 33yrs". The Sunday Times . Retrieved 23 February 2025.
  4. ↑ "Home and Away star Lynne McGranger's big wake up call". msn.com. 5 September 2019. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  5. ↑ "Dancing With The Stars 2014 line-up: Which celebrities we'd rather see on Seven's dancing show". news.com.au . 28 August 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  6. ↑ Luff, Bryce (19 August 2025). "Lynne McGranger bids farewell to Home and Away character Irene Roberts and Summer Bay". 7News . Retrieved 24 August 2025.
  7. ↑ Mitchell, Thomas (16 August 2025). "'Real and right': Why Lynne McGranger wanted Irene's Home and Away exit to matter". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 24 August 2025.
  8. ↑ Balaam, Kellie (29 June 2025). "Home & Away star 'bewildered' by first Gold Logie nomination". The West Australian . Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  9. 1 2 Knox, David (3 August 2025). "Logie Awards 2025: winners". TV Tonight . Retrieved 3 August 2025.
  10. ↑ Lee, Natasha (22 September 2025). "Seven refreshes The House of Wellness with new hosts and segments". Mediaweek . Retrieved 23 September 2025.
  11. ↑ "Lynne McGranger's daughter Clancy McWaters poses triple threat to her mother's legacy". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  12. ↑ Kilkelly, Daniel (20 May 2012). "'Home and Away' Lynne McGranger interview: 'Irene should turn badass'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  13. ↑ "In the Blood – Lynne McGranger". 24 March 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  14. ↑ "Lynne McGranger". Showcast. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
  15. ↑ "Logies Awards live updates: Lynne McGranger wins the Gold Logie as Magda Szubanski inducted into Hall of Fame". 7 News . 3 August 2025. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
  16. ↑ Sandwell, Ian (21 June 2016). "Inside Soap Awards 2016 longlist revealed: Which of your soap favourites are up for prizes?". Digital Spy . Retrieved 3 August 2025.
  17. ↑ Harp, Justin (22 August 2017). "Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks all make the Inside Soap Awards longlist". Digital Spy . Retrieved 3 August 2025.
  18. ↑ Knox, David (19 June 2023). "TV Week Logie Awards 2023: nominees". TV Tonight . Retrieved 3 August 2025.
  19. ↑ Knox, David (17 December 2023). "TV Week Greatest Aussie Characters of All Time results". TV Tonight . Retrieved 3 August 2025.

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