Lynne McGranger reveals which Irene storyline had the biggest impact as she exits Home and Away

Long-running Home And Away character Irene Roberts — played by Gold Logie-winner Lynne McGranger — has seen it all.

Arriving at Summer Bay as an abusive alcoholic in 1993, the classic Aussie battler has been through the ringer.

Roberts has battled a stalker, dated a killer and accidentally shot a cop, to name a few of her high-octane storylines.

Now, after 33 years, she will say goodbye in touching scenes which show her in decline as she comes to terms with a devastating Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis.

“I love what Irene has been able to represent, the comfort she has been able to bring people,” McGranger told 7NEWS.com.au on Tuesday, just hours before her character’s final scenes go to air.

“Irene does dumb stuff. She’s quick to anger. Yet, she’s also quick to forgive.”

McGranger, who is on a career high after winning this year’s Gold Logie, said she was proud of the Alzheimer’s story arc, but equally proud of others.

“I would say when Irene had breast cancer, it was very moving,” McGranger said of the 2011 storyline.

“We were mirroring the storyline off one of my best friends who lives in York, her daughter Nicki was diagnosed with breast cancer at the same time. Sadly, she didn’t make it.

“But it was very important to honour my friend and her daughter.”

McGranger said she was also proud of a storyline dealing with child grooming.

In the episodes which aired in 2019, teenager Bella, played by Courtney Miller, is attacked by much older Tommy, played by Adam Sollis.

Irene arrives home just in time to save the frightened teenager.

“It was an issue that was everywhere in the press at the time,” McGranger said.

“Obviously, with the way people are meeting on the internet, it was extremely important.”

McGranger initially trained to become a teacher in the city of Wagga Wagga, in regional NSW, and says she caught the acting bug during those years.

She famously won the Best Actress Award at the 1974 Wagga Wagga Drama Festival, an award she mentioned when accepting the Gold Logie.

“After I won the award, I thought, ‘I’m really going to have a crack at this’,” McGranger said of her decision to pursue an acting career.

She appeared in TV series The Flying Doctors as Janet in 1989, in Skirts as Dot in 1990, and in the 1992 TV movie Street Angels as Joan.

In 1993, she was offered the role of Irene.

“I was just given a three-month contract,” McGranger said, adding she left her partner Paul McWaters, who she has been with since 1984, back home in Melbourne at the time.

“Then they asked, ‘Would you like to come back for a year?’. I was ecstatic. As a young person, I couldn’t believe they were going to pay me to act.”

Fast-forward 33 years, it was bittersweet for McGranger as she watched her final scenes on Home And Away in a special viewing at Seven’s Sydney headquarters alongside the cast and crew of the long-running series.

“It was lovely. The whole room was watching the show, myself included, and I have to say I did get a little bit teary and, hell, I was doing it!” she said.

“Even the hard-nosed lighting and sound guys, they were all a little bit teary. I thought that was a good indicator of how it would affect Australia and the people around the world who watch and love Home And Away.”

As the episode airs on Tuesday, McGranger will be on her way to Tasmania as she tours her show The Grandparents Club.

The actress said more theatre was in her future.

“I would like to go back to the UK, do some theatre,” McGranger said, hinting at her next career move.

“I’d love to do Shirley Valentine or play Shirl, the bartender, in Priscilla: Queen Of The Desert.”

The star encouraged everyone to support the arts.

“Go and get involved. Go and watch shows, productions,” McGranger said.

“Be part of it.”