Lynne McGranger has a lot to be thankful for. Not only has she played Irene Roberts on Home and Away for 28 years, but her new memoir, Acting Up, will be out next month.
Even more than her personal success, the entertainment veteran tells New Idea, she and her long-term boyfriend, Paul McWaters, are happy to be celebrating another milestone — their daughter Clancy’s wedding!
Lynne, 68, gushes to New Idea, “Clancy and her fiancé [Luke] recently got engaged.”
“He proposed to her at a picnic in the afternoon.” Paul was aware of what was going on since he had requested Paul’s consent, but neither Clancy nor I were aware. It’s quite wonderful. I’m really looking forward to these!”
But, with wedding preparations started for “sometime in 2023,” has Lynne considered finally marrying Paul after more than 30 years together?
“Never, ever.” With a grin, she continues, “I was married once and I didn’t breed well in prison — he was a good man, but the wrong man.”
“We’ve never considered marriage.” We’ve been together for 36 years and it doesn’t matter. Clancy’s wedding has gotten me a lot more thrilled.”
While Lynne admits that saying “I do” isn’t in the cards for her, she does acknowledge that Paul has played an important role in her Home and Away career.
“If I hadn’t had a spouse who was willing to stay at home full-time and watch after Clancy while I worked… “I couldn’t have done it,” says the celebrity.
“I’ve seen a lot of families with small children come and go on Home and Away, trying to manage nannies, and they’re really struggling.” So I’ve been really fortunate and fortunate.
“If it hadn’t been for Paul, I wouldn’t have made it through three years, let alone 28.”
Lynne also states that she has no immediate intentions to leave Summer Bay.
“Ray [Meagher] and I frequently joke that they’ll have to put us in a box and cart us away!”
Lynne, who is clearly a fan of being active, even utilised the downtime she had during the COVID lockdown in 2020 to write her biography, Acting Up, which details her extraordinary life experience.
“It was nice simply flipping through the old photo albums and reliving my experiences,” she recalls. “However, now that I’ve written the book, I keep thinking, ‘Oh, I left that section out,’ and so on. So, you know, when it comes time for me to leave Home and Away, I could create another one.”
Lynne’s book details all of the highs and lows of her life, from a fad-diet-filled upbringing in Australia through her heartbreaks in relationships, job setbacks, and the heartwarming friendships she acquired along the way.
It’s an understatement to say that writing the book was cathartic for Lynne. While she has numerous “regrets” in her life, she has learned to accept that the actions she has made have shaped who she is.
“You can’t go back in time. I would not be where I am today even if I could change anything. I wouldn’t have my spouse, daughter, luxurious life, or friends that I do today.”
Lynne thinks that readers will love the memoir, but it has yet to be reviewed by two major critics: Paul and Clancy, whom she has “deliberately delayed” from reading it!
“I’m sure they’ll read it after it’s published, but I didn’t want Paul to say, ‘Maybe you should do this or modify that,’ so I didn’t let them see it throughout the process.” You can’t alter anything now that it’s all done and dusted!”
