Ray Meagher has been a fan of Home and Away for a long time as Summer Bay veteran Alf Stewart, but his real life is very different from that of his fictional role.
Ray does not have any children, despite the fact that Alf has been a father, stepfather, and foster parent. He has already explained why.
“I feared if I’d be able to feed myself let alone anybody else when I was younger as a freelance actor,” he told The Daily Telegraph in 2018, hinting that he opted not to have children owing to the unpredictable nature of performing.
“It’s a strange old job,” he said, “it’s really insecure, it’s a fairly nasty old career employment-wise.”
While Ray does not have any children of his own, he is a stepfather to his wife Gilly’s adult daughter Rebecca, and the two keep in touch on a daily basis.
He told the newspaper, “I have a stepdaughter Rebecca who is in her early 40s.”
“I chat to her at least once a week and meet her for breakfast or brunch whenever the Home and Away schedule allows, which is maybe once every two weeks, which I adore.”
After marrying Gilly in 2010, the actor has been married for 11 years and claimed that she loves to stay out of the spotlight.
The 77-year-old defended her absence from the 2018 event by saying, “Gilly would sooner swallow a pile of bricks than attend to the Logies.”
“She says, ‘That’s your job, go do it, and don’t worry about me… I don’t know a whole bunch of people,’ so she’s fine with it.”
Gilly, a former nurse, plays a crucial part in Ray’s life, even though she likes to keep in the background.
Ray recognised his wife Gilly as a vital component in his rehabilitation after undergoing life-saving triple-bypass surgery in 2019 and receiving a clean bill of health.
Ray told New Idea last year, “She’s simply great,” and stated that Gilly has always been an incredible support to him.
He said the same thing to New Idea shortly after his first heart surgery: “I honestly don’t know what I would have done without Gilly.”
“Once a nurse, always a nurse,” as the saying goes.
When she isn’t saving his life, Ray credits Gilly with being a fantastic cook, which makes them an ideal match.
“I think it’s fair to say that I eat a very balanced diet,” he remarked, “and it’s all owing to Gilly.”
“I can probably prepare three or four things, but I never go near the kitchen.” We’re a natural-born partnership since Gilly adores cooking and I enjoy eating!
“I’m a really fortunate man!”
