Lynne McGranger

In August that year, she won the Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television.

• Name — Lynne McGranger • Born — 29 January 1953 • Birthplace — Paddington, New South Wales, Australia • Occupation — Actress • Years Active — 1989–present • Known for — Irene Roberts in Home And Away • Children — 1

McGranger was born to Bruce and Audrey. She originally was a primary school teacher who trained at the Riverina College of Advanced Education in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, in 1975 where she had her initial actor training. She started her career in stage roles, early roles included Rose in Bye Bye Birdie and Anita in West Side Story. After further experience with the Q Theatre in Penrith, west of Sydney, she started working in television and won a small part in soap opera The Flying Doctors. She undertook her best-known role on 12 January 1993, when she joined the cast of Home and Away playing Irene Roberts. At first cast in a guest role, McGranger was made a permanent cast member on 7 October 1993. In 2014 McGranger overtook former co-star Kate Ritchie as the longest serving actress to play the same character in Australian television. McGranger was a participant in the fourteenth season of Dancing with the Stars. On 23 February 2025, McGranger announced her departure from Home and Away. She would film her final scenes at the end of March, and her on-screen exit aired on 19 August. McGranger confirmed she made the decision after appearing in a production of musical comedy The Grandparents Club in 2024 and she said that it was a "full circle moment". On-screen, Irene is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and McGranger revealed that she wanted her character's exit to "matter", and wanted it to be educational and important for those who had suffered from Alzheimer's. On 16 June 2025, McGranger received a nomination for the Gold Logie Award and the Logie Award for Best Actress. On 3 August, McGranger won both accolades. After taking some time off to travel, McGranger began appearing in a new touring season of The Grandparents Club. She also made an appearance on the health and lifestyle series The House of Wellness in September 2025. On 21 February 2026, McGranger was confirmed to have joined the Channel Nine reality series Shark!. During a dive on the production of the show McGranger was medically evacuated after struggling with buoyancy and a mask filling with water.

McGranger was born in the Sydney suburb of Paddington in 1953. She has one daughter, Clancy (b. 1991), with her husband of more than thirty years, Paul McWaters. She is a fan of cricket, and is also interested in history. McGranger is also a supporter of the Sydney Swans. • Illustration — Lynne McGranger in 2009

Film and television performances • Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1989 — The Flying Doctors — Janet Williams — Guest role • 1990 — Skirts — Dot — Guest role • 1991 — Street Angels — Joan — TV film • 1993–2025 — Home and Away — Irene Roberts — Series regular: 4944 Episodes • 1993 — Seven Deadly Sins — Guest role • 1994 — Sky Trackers — Jack — Guest role • 2006 — Reasons Beyond Me — Lyn — Short film • 2012 — Gingers — Redheaded Mother — Short film • 2015 — Home and Away: An Eye for an Eye — Irene Roberts — Main role • 2016 — Home and Away: Revenge — Main role • 2017 — Home and Away: All or Nothing — Main role • 2018 — Why Can't I — Mother — Short film • 2019 — Equivocal Redemption — Samantha's Mother — Film • 2021 — Equivocal Redemption: The Series — Samantha's Mother — Miniseries • 2026 — Shark! — Self — Reality Series: 3 Episodes Theatre performances • Year — Title — Role — Theatre/company • 1979 — Paradise Regained — Lust — Q Theatre • 1980 — Happy End — Fly — Q Theatre • 1984 — Bleedin' Butterflies — Christine — M.R.P.G. • 1985 — Around the Bend — John Hepworth — M.R.P.G. • 1986 — Luck of the Draw — Dianne — Playbox Theatre • 1988 — Dags in Full Flight — May Day — Le Joke • 1989 — Jack's Daughters — Pat — Melbourne Workers Theatre • 1989 — The Natural Normans — Norman Norman — Edinburgh Festival Fringe • 1991 — Inside Out — Kat — Anthill Theatre • 1992 — Daily Grind — Louie — Melbourne Workers Theatre • 1995 — Dick Whittington — Fairy Bowbells — Brighton Dome • 1998 — Jack and the Beanstalk — Fairy Peapod — Grand Opera House, York • 2000 — Aladdin — Genie of the Ring — Tameside Hippodrome • 2004 — Pinter's – The Lover — Sarah — The Acting Factory • 2004 — Cinderella — Fairy Godmother — Theatre Royal, Lincoln • 2006 — Cinderella — Fairy Godmother — White Rock Theatre • 2007 — Honey — Mum — Riverside Theatres • 2008 — Jack & the Beanstalk — Fairy Godmother — Lyceum Theatre, Crewe • 2010 — Jack & the Beanstalk — Wicked Witch — Kings Theatre, Southsea • 2012 — The Vagina Monologues — Old Jewish Woman — Livid Productions • 2012 — Jack & the Beanstalk — Fleshcreep — Weymouth Pavilion • 2024 — The Grandparents Club — Liz — National tour • 2025 — The Grandparents Club 2 — Liz — National tour • 2026 — Christmas in The Grandparents Club — Liz — National tour • Source:

• Year — Award — Category — Work — Result — Ref. Reference • 1974 — Wagga Wagga Drama Festival — Best Actress • 2016 — Inside Soap Awards — Best Daytime Star — Home and Away • 2017 • 2023 — Logie Awards — Most Popular Actress • 2025 — Best Lead Actress in a Drama • Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television

In 2023, McGranger's Home and Away character Irene Roberts came second in TV Weeks 100 Greatest Australian TV Characters, behind Ray Meagher's Alf Stewart.