After three decades in Summer Bay, Home and Away has said goodbye to one of its most iconic residents. Lynne McGranger, who has played Irene Roberts since 1993, has officially closed the door on her soap career — and now she’s explained the heartfelt reason behind her decision.

From Villain to Beloved Mother Figure

When Irene Roberts first appeared in Home and Away, she was introduced as a deeply troubled woman — a violent, alcoholic mother who had lost her children, Nathan, Damian, and Finlay. But across 30 years, Irene’s redemption story became one of the soap’s most inspiring arcs.

Choosing sobriety and dedicating herself to fostering, Irene transformed into one of Summer Bay’s kindest and most reliable figures. She stood as a mother figure, mentor, and friend through some of the show’s most emotional plots — from abusive relationships to breast cancer, alcoholism relapse, and, most recently, her Alzheimer’s diagnosis, which ultimately set up her exit storyline.

Lynne on Her Exit: “It Was Time to Move On”

Speaking about her decision to leave, Lynne revealed she had been weighing it up for some time:

“I had probably been thinking about leaving the show for a year or two, just in passing — just thinking maybe the time is drawing nigh to change direction and to do a little bit of theatre.”

She admitted that while fans were heartbroken, she has no regrets about stepping away:

“I never had any doubts, no. And I haven’t had any regrets or any doubts since. I just feel like it was the right thing to have done at the right time.”

Fans’ Reactions and Irene’s Legacy

Lynne acknowledged the outpouring of disappointment from loyal viewers:

“Many, many people have come up to say, ‘oh why did you have to leave, it’s not the same’. And I’m like, ‘well it was time for me to move on… No, it won’t be the same but it will be different. It will be as good but in another way.’”

She compared the change to past fan favourites leaving: Shane, Angel, Pippa, and Sally — all departures that once felt impossible to recover from, but ultimately made way for new eras.

A Personal Storyline That Resonated

Of all Irene’s storylines, Lynne shared that her 2011 breast cancer plot resonated most deeply. At the same time her character was battling the illness, Lynne’s best friend’s daughter, Nicky, was also fighting cancer in real life.

“She fought valiantly for about 10 years but sadly lost her fight when she was about 50,” Lynne revealed, adding a personal weight to the storyline that stayed with her.

What’s Next for Lynne?

Although her final scenes aired last month, Lynne hasn’t cut ties with Home and Away. She still visits the studios and stays in regular touch with her former co-stars.

Professionally, she’s already keeping busy — currently touring Australia with The Grandparent’s Club, with upcoming performances planned in Ireland, Norway, and possibly London.

For Home and Away fans, Irene Roberts will forever remain one of the Bay’s most cherished characters — a woman who went from broken to beloved, and whose presence defined an era of the soap.