Home and Away star Lynne McGranger has spoken about how the show changed plans to axe her character Irene Roberts.
The actor joined the Australian soap in 1993 and has since become the country's longest-serving female soap star. She finally decided to leave this year after decades in the role.
But things could have been very different, as there were plans to get rid of her just a decade into her tenure.
“In 2003 they were going to write Irene out," McGranger told TVTonight. "Coral Druyn, who was the writer went, 'No, you can't. I've got a great storyline!'
"She fought for me, for the character. They probably felt I'd been painted into a bit of a corner. Sometimes you run in the wrong direction, and that's life, right? But don't sit and flounder. Find something about the character," the actor added.
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"With Irene, she calls a spade a front end loader. And people might say, 'That's like a female Alf,' but she's more. I think she's very nurturing, very caring, but she doesn't take shit from anyone."
McGranger also joked about some of the more outrageous storylines, such as Irene being stranded on an island or when Ailsa saw Bobby's ghost walking out of the fridge.
Related: Here's every emotional detail from Home and Away's final episodes for Irene
"We always joke and say, 'You know they've run out of ideas if people start morphing through the white goods," she said with a laugh.
She also jokingly talked about one storyline she never got to play out during her time, stating: "I never got abducted by aliens, which is a shame, because I think that would have been a great storyline. But it's been a ride!"
Home and Away airs weekdays at 1.45pm on Channel 5, with repeat screenings at 6pm on 5STAR and first-look screenings at 6.30pm on 5STAR. Selected classic episodes are available via Prime Video in the UK.
In Australia, the show airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7pm on Channel 7 and streams on 7Plus.
Read more Home and Away spoilers on our dedicated homepage
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