Long-serving Home And Away stars Lynne McGranger and Shane Withington have often been asked if they’ll ever leave the show. But with both actors still relishing their roles, it’s a question they’ve never given much thought to.
For Shane, the joy comes from flexing his comedic muscles as surf lifesaving club president John Palmer, known more for his misadventures than dramatic arcs.
Both actors still relishing their roles.
“Home And Away has been my life for the past 15 years, with a few ups and downs, but I’ve met terrific people along the way,” he tells TV WEEK.
“I’ve got to play some very comedic plots and it thrills me to do it. I love coming in every day.”
The same can be said for Lynne, whose Aussie battler Irene has appealed to fans since 1991. Her popularity has only grown – in 2023, she was nominated for her first TV WEEK Logie Award For Most Popular Actress. In addition, readers recently voted Irene their second favourite in TV WEEK’s 100 Greatest Australian TV Characters poll.
“It’s been an exciting time,” Lynne, 70, says of being nominated alongside her castmates Ada Nicodemou and Emily Symons. “We loved all the fun publicity and photo shoots. And we were never competitive about it. We always thought one of the other fabulous ladies who were nominated would win! And we were right.”
With their characters so intertwined, so too are Lynne and Shane.
Among Lynne’s many Logies night highlights, one incident proved particularly memorable.
“When I got back to the hotel room, I realised I couldn’t unzip my dress,” she says with a laugh. “I raced out into the corridor and knocked on the nearest door, which happened to be housekeeping. I was greeted by a gentleman whose face lit up and who said, ‘I know you!’
“I replied, ‘Well, you’re about to know me a hell of a lot more – can you unzip me, please?’ He obliged and I hightailed it back into my room, leaving the chap a little gobsmacked.”
With their characters so intertwined, so too are Lynne and Shane.
“We’re great mates and we laugh a lot,” Lynne says of their enduring friendship.
Shane, 65, concurs, adding that his scene partner “is the nicest, kindest and most accommodating soul I’ve ever met”.
With 2023 almost in the rear-view mirror, Lynne is excited about spending time with her family, who are celebrating their own milestones. Lynne’s daughter Clancy got married recently, and she welcomed her great-niece, Paris, into the world.
“There’s plenty to celebrate – and among the feasting, there’ll be some napping, I suspect,” she says of their annual festivities.
Shane, an avid sailor, is ready to get back on the water after some family gatherings by the beach.
“I’m going to do a few more solo off-shore sailing trips – they keep me from actually turning into John Palmer!” he says with a laugh.
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