After more than three decades on Home and Away, Lynne McGranger, best known as Irene in Summer Bay, will be departing the Australian soap in 2025.
After months of speculation regarding which legendary Home and Away star would be leaving, Channel Seven finally confirmed the rumours on February 23.
“After almost 33 years in my dream role and working everyday with people who I love, respect and whom I now consider family, it’s bittersweet to be closing the chapter on what has been the best and longest gig of my life,” she said in a Seven statement.
“I am forever grateful to the best production crew in the world and to our genius writers – whose doors are always open – for everything they have done for Irene over the past 33-odd years, and I am so proud of the storyline which will see Irene out of the Bay. Above all, a massive, heartfelt thank you to the fans for your continued love and support.”
As the beloved Diner co-owner, Lynne has become the longest-serving female actor in an Australian drama series after first making her debut in January 1993, taking over the role from Jacqy Phillips.
From taking in foster children, battling alcoholism, breast cancer diagnosis, a long-lost son, ferry boat sinking, bomb explosion, a plan crash and sentenced to prison for a murder she didn’t commit, Irene faced it all in Summer Bay.
But we wonder how the beloved character’s storyline will end? Unfortunately, Seven has revealed little details regarding Irene’s emotional exit storyline, but while speaking on Nova 96.9’s Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie, Lynne shared some insight.
“My initial thought was, maybe she can just get hit by a bus outside the diner,” she joked. “I had this idea, of what I think is a terrific storyline, and I went to the writers, and normally they’re like, ‘Oh, quick lock the door. Here she comes. Last time she came, she wanted Irene to get abducted by aliens…it’s not a valid storyline’. But this time they heard me out… I think it’s very, very pertinent, and I think people will travel the journey.”
The network has revealed Lynne will wrap up filming at the end of March 2025, with her on-screen departure taking place later in the year.
Rumours about which Home and Away favourite would be departing began swirling after Ada Nicodemou, who portrays Leah Patterson, teased that it may be “someone important” to TV WEEK. We naturally presumed it would be one of our beloved legacy characters: Ray Meagher, Georgie Parker, Emily Symons and Lynne McGranger.
We questioned Lynne’s future on the show after it was confirmed she would be reprising her musical role in The Grandparents Club. After numerous sold-out shows, it returns with a national tour titled Cruising with The Grandparents Club sailing from July 9, 2025 to October 19, 2025.
It wouldn’t have been Lynne’s first temporary disappearance from Summer Bay for the musical, given she took a break from May to September in 2024.
In 2024, Lynne confessed to Stellar magazine she had “mulled over” stepping back from the show for more than a year.
“Who knows what the future holds,” she said. “If [The Grandparents Club] is successful, god willing, I
