'Home and Away' Lynne McGranger interview: 'Irene should turn badass'
After nearly 20 years in Summer Bay, Home and Away's Lynne McGranger remains one of the soap's most popular and recognisable faces.
As Summer Bay stalwart Irene Roberts, the actress has played out more than her fair share of dramas over the years - most recently when her much-loved character fought breast cancer.
Digital Spy recently caught up with Lynne for a chat about her time on the long-running drama.
As we're chatting, you're in the UK on a promo trip. Do you enjoy getting the chance to meet the UK fans?
"It is always a wonderful opportunity. I've known for years how popular the show is abroad - you've only got to turn up at any given day on Palm Beach to see how many UK and Irish tourists come over. We even get people coming over from Estonia, and I'm not making that up!
"It's lovely coming over to the UK and it's exciting to see the reactions that I get from people who can't believe that 'Irene' is standing there! We're very, very grateful that the show is such a success in the UK."
You've been on Home and Away for 19 years. Does it feel like that long?
"I always gauge it on my daughter. She was 20 months when I started on the show, and she's now 21 and a half. When I consider it in those terms, I just think, 'Oh my God, it has flown by - I can't believe I am doing the same gig so many years later'. I feel so very blessed, because there's not many people in the world who could say that."
Have you never been tempted to say goodbye to Irene in favour of other roles?
"Well, the great thing is that I've had the opportunity to do other jobs. That's one thing about the producers - they allow us to go off and do other projects. And of course, included in that is pantomime. I've been coming over to the UK and doing pantomime for the best part of 17 years, which is marvellous. That gives me the opportunity to go back to my roots, which is theatre."
Your biggest recent storyline was Irene's breast cancer plot. What was it like to film such a hard-hitting story?
"It was rewarding but also very taxing. Instead of getting made up, you're getting made down every day, for many months. I was made to look so unwell and that does kind of bring you down. I'm a naturally energetic person, so to be playing someone who was so ill and so tired was very, very draining.
"But my whole raison d'être was that I wanted to be truthful to my friends and people out there who have suffered from breast cancer, those who are still suffering, or those with loved ones who are. So it was a great honour to be able to spend so much time dealing with a subject that's so important."
What kind of a reaction did you get when the story aired?
"I was absolutely thrilled with the reaction, particularly when I got feedback from my own friends who have experience of the illness. Of course, I also received mail and tweets and that sort of thing. To be honest, I didn't get any negative feedback at all, apart from people telling me how bad I looked! If I was walking through the supermarket people would say, 'You're looking a lot better today than you did last night!'
"I have to give full credit to the producers and the writers for taking the story on and dealing with it in-depth. I'm very grateful that they allowed my character to do that."
Will Irene have some quieter times in the Bay now, or are there more dramas ahead?
"There's always dramas! If they're not dramas directly happening to Irene, you can be sure that April, Bianca, Leah or Marilyn will be going through some trauma that I'll be embroiled in. I think that's Irene's lot in life - to be forever called upon to deal with other people's dramas when she's not having her own!"
Is there anything you'd like to explore with Irene that you haven't done already?
"It's a very good question - she's explored most things, hasn't she? I've always thought that Irene would be good in pastoral care - maybe she could pick up Elijah's reins and be a sort of Vicar of Dibley type, like the local pastor. People already come to her for advice and for help, so maybe she could go down that path.
"Or maybe she could turn badass! I know we've explored the alcoholism, but she's never actually gone bad for a period of time. But obviously the writers would have their work cut out, because I can't think of any reason why she would go bad!"
Home and Away has been a great launching pad for a number of careers. Is there anyone else from Summer Bay you'd tip to make it big in Hollywood who hasn't already?
"Well, so far we've had the lovely Chris Hemsworth, Isabel Lucas, Melissa George, Isla Fisher, Guy Pearce - the list goes on and on. As for more recent people, I'd say somebody like Todd Lasance - I can see him going a long way. Also, Josh Quong Tart who played Miles is an incredibly talented man and a beautiful singer. There's a lot of talent that comes out of the show, for sure!"
As Lucy Addario took over from Cameron Welsh as Home and Away's producer this year, what's the atmosphere like on set with a new boss in charge?
"Well, I think Cameron did an amazing job for so many years. But he's such a talented writer, so I think it's a great decision that he's made to go in that direction. He needed to do that for himself.
"Lucy's been waiting in the wings for a year or so, and I love her to death. I'm not just saying that because she's my producer - I loved her before she even worked on the show, as I've known her for quite a few years. You couldn't wish for anyone to get the job more than her, because she knows the industry and she's so approachable. I just feel that she's embraced the show and everybody in it."
Gypsy and Will have both made returns to the show in the past couple of years. It must be nice for you when people come back to visit Irene!
"It's lovely - it's so lovely. I loved having Will back, even though it all went to hell in a hand basket as he's in jail now! I really like it when 'Irene's people' come back.
"I would love Selina to come back and we could see what's happened to her, and Will when he gets out of jail again of course. Sadly Belle can't come back as she's as dead as a dodo, and so is Chloe!"
What are your hobbies and interests outside of the show? Is there anything that would surprise your fans?
"Well, I'm a big cricket nut and I always wanted to be a cricket commentator, so that's one thing! I also love British history - I've always been passionate about it, particularly royal history. I'm really good at naming the kings and queens in order, but don't ask me to do it now because I've got jetlag! I'm also well into Pilates and I love to walk - I'm a power walker."
A lot of Australian dramas have come and gone over the years. Why do you think Home and Away has stuck around?
"I think there's a few reasons. Firstly, I think the allure of the lifestyle by the beach is very, very attractive. I also think the writers and the producers have allowed the show to develop and to grow, from a little coastal town to a bit more global. We've also developed technically, because the look of the show has changed.
"Additionally, the writers have been incredibly clever to keep the storylines going believably. Lastly, I guess the producers have been clever enough to make sure that there's always been lynchpins - whether it's Alf, Irene, Leah or Marilyn. Even though we've lost lynchpins along the way like Sally, we've still hung onto the Summer Bay basics, and the young ones come in and revolve around that. I think those are the main reasons the show has had such success over the years."
