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 30 years.[1][2] She joined the series in 1993, and is the longest serving female cast member of a television soap opera in Australia.

Lynne McGranger
Lynne McGranger at the 2016 Logie Awards
Born (1953-01-29) 29 January 1953 (age 71)
Paddington, New South Wales, Australia
OccupationActress
Years active1990–present

Career edit

McGranger was born to Bruce and Audrey.[3] 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.[4] She regularly appears in British pantomimes during the Christmas season, and has starred in pantomimes in Brighton, Torquay, York and Ashton-under-Lyne and Southport.[5]

Personal life edit

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.[6] She is a fan of cricket, and is also interested in history.[7] McGranger is also a supporter of the Sydney Swans.[8] McGranger's maternal grandfather Godfrey Allum was organist at St Paul's Cathedral Melbourne and wrote a number of Organ Preludes (The Australian Organist May 1988).

 
Lynne McGranger in 2009

Filmography edit

Year Title Role Notes
1989 The Flying Doctors Janet Williams "The Last Rodeo" (S4.E28)
1990 Skirts Dot "Making the Break" (S1.E3)
1991 Street Angels Joan TV movie
1993– Home and Away Irene Roberts Season 6–present (main role, 2800+ episodes)
1993 Seven Deadly Sins Miniseries; "Gluttony" (episode 6)
1994 Sky Trackers Jack "The Beast" (S1.E3)
2006 Reasons Beyond Me Lyn Short film
2012 Gingers Redheaded Mother Short film
2015 Home and Away: An Eye for an Eye Irene Roberts Presto streaming special
2016 Home and Away: Revenge Presto streaming special
2017 Home and Away: All or Nothing Presto streaming special
2018 Why Can't I Mother Short film
2019 Equivocal Redemption Samantha's Mother Film
2021 Equivocal Redemption: The Series Samantha's Mother Miniseries
2023 63rd Annual Logies Self Special
2023 Talking Prisoner Self Podcast Series 1 episode

References edit

  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. ^ "Home and Away star Lynne McGranger's big wake up call". msn.com. 5 September 2019. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ Gatt, Kylie. "Lynne Mc Granger's Bio". Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  6. ^ "Lynne McGranger's daughter Clancy McWaters poses triple threat to her mother's legacy". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  7. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (20 May 2012). "'Home and Away' Lynne McGranger interview: 'Irene should turn badass'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  8. ^ "In the Blood – Lynne McGranger". Retrieved 20 June 2016.

External links edit