Celebrity

Lynne McGranger temporarily stepping back from Home And Away for new gig

Sing, dance, act - what can't she do?
Loading the player...

Home and Away beloved star Lynne McGranger will temporarily leave Summer Bay for her new career move in the original stage comedy, The Grandparents Club.

“(I’ll be going for) just a little while — not leaving anything permanently,” Lynne said on The Morning Show with hosts Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies.

The show will be touring for 10 weeks from May 10, according to an Instagram post shared by Lynne. 

(Image: Instagram)

While the 71-year-old has built a legacy on Home and Away as Irene after making her first appearance in 1993 – making her the longest-serving female on the soap – her roots are actually in theatre.

“I came from revue-type situations (shows) — from community theatre, all of that — I’m getting back to my roots, singing and dancing, interacting with the audience,” she said.

“I can hold a tune and I can belt-out a number, but I’m no Aretha Franklin.”

Prior to this, Lynne did appear in the Australian version of Legally Blonde the Musical in 2018.

(Image: Instagram)

Lynne showed praise to everyone involved in the stage musical, particularly writer Wendy Harmer who she’s known since the 1980s and describes as “fabulous” and “should be the queen of Australia.”

She continued to describe the Australian musical created to celebrate grandparents in all their beautiful forms.

“It’s review style, its four people – myself included – four us turn up to the club for the day and we have a day in the club,” she said.

Loading the player...

“The audience has come to the club called The Grandparents Club — there is a sauna, gym, spa, there’s bingo, there is trivia. In a way, just taking the mickey out of what people perceive grandparents to be,” she said.

“Which is, of course, old and doddery… but in fact, grandparents can be in their 40s these days, bungee jumping or climbing Everest.”

Related stories