McGranger quick to protect beloved Home
As the longest-serving female cast member on Home and Away, Lynne McGranger has seen her fair share of famous faces get their start on the popular Seven soap.
In her 21 years playing matriarch Irene Roberts, McGranger, right, has shared the set with budding stars including Chris Hemsworth, Ryan Kwanten, Isla Fisher and Sharni Vinson, who have all gone on to take Hollywood by storm.
So when a former cast member slams the show, such as Melissa George's famous outburst last year (when her time on the series was brought up in an Australian TV interview), McGranger is quick to protect her beloved place of work.
"Let's be honest, 99.9 per cent of the people that leave the show and go on to do other things have nothing but glowing reports about Home and Away because they realise that it gave them their training ground," the 60-year-old tells Access All Areas.
"There are only a small minority of people who maybe resent being only remembered for Home and Away.
"But why would you badmouth something that was a fabulous springboard for who you are now?"
Having recently signed on to play Irene for another three years, McGranger can't see herself leaving the show anytime soon because of the crazy life she gets to lead through the character.
She says she enjoys the chance to meet new people and great actors, including Perth boy Johnny Ruffo, who works closely with McGranger on the show."Johnny is fantastic, he is a wonderful hard worker and a lovable boy to be around," McGranger says.In fact, the two stars will be flying back to Ruffo's home town together this week to take part in Telethon, which is on at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre tomorrow and Sunday.McGranger says the charity event is one of her favourite times of the year."Fundamentally it just shows Australians at their very best," she says."Generous, fun-loving and knuckling down for those who are less fortunate. On a personal level, I love going to the hospital to visit the kids and then I love all the entertainment too."Last year I got to dance with Justice Crew, those gorgeous boys."
