Lynne McGranger has no plans to quit ‘Home and Away’.
The 67-year-old actress – who plays Irene Roberts – is the second-longest serving cast member after original Ray Meagher but insisted she will not be leaving the soap in the near future.
She told Metro.co.uk: "I love that she’s fallible. I love that she does real dumb stuff sometimes and at other times she’s very wise. I love that people warm to her because she is human and you know, she has her favourites in the Bay and people like John Palmer drive her up the wall, but she’ll always have a soft spot for them even if they do drive her crazy. People have asked me what character I would most like to play in the Bay and its always Irene. I love her and I love playing her. I know her!
"I love it, sometimes I feel like I’m a big kid and I’m just playing pretend in the back garden, It’s lovely. There’s the line learning, obviously we have to give it gravitas and make sure that we’re giving it the right emphasis and truthfully telling the story, but I find it doesn’t affect me mentally or emotionally, more physically if anything!"
However, Lynne would like some lighter storylines for her character, who has battled alcoholism and has been the victim of kidnapping.
She said: "I’d like a few more comedy storylines. I’d like a bit of lightness, I love working with all the cast, but comedy-wise it would be great to work with Emily Symons who plays Marilyn, Shane Withington who plays John because he annoys the hell out of Irene, but the comedy value there and Leah, Roo and Alf…I’d just like a little more lightness, we do have some pretty heavy storylines and often there’s doom and gloom, but I really like the idea of there being some lightness, laughter and fun."