Lynne McGranger takes a break from Summer Bay for exciting new project

The iconic Lynne McGranger, best known for her role as Irene Roberts on the long-running Australian soap Home and Away, has shared exciting details about her upcoming venture into the world of stage comedy.

The 71-year-old actress is set to star in the original production, The Grandparents Club, and couldn’t contain her enthusiasm as she spilled the beans on The Morning Show.

While assuring fans that her departure from the shores of Summer Bay would be temporary, McGranger expressed her eagerness to dive into a project that takes her back to her roots.

“(I’ll be going for) just a little while — not leaving anything permanently,” Lynne said.

“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.”

In a candid moment, Lynne revealed her involvement in the musical aspect of the show.

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

The Grandparents Club was penned by none other than radio star Wendy Harmer, a longtime friend of McGranger dating back to the 1980s. The show, according to McGranger, carries a special message while offering a comedic take on society’s perceptions of grandparents.

“The audience has come to the club called The Grandparents Club — there is a sauna, gym, spa, there’s bingo, there is trivia. It is a way of 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.”

Aussie TV favourite Lynne McGranger sits down with TMS to announce her role in the new stage musical ‘The Grandparents Club’. pic.twitter.com/t6zL6qOS6H

— The Morning Show (@morningshowon7) January 29, 2024

In addition to treading the boards and her iconic role on Home and Away, McGranger recently embarked on a mission that could potentially save countless lives across Australia.

The beloved actress used her influence to encourage Australians over the age of 50 to take a crucial step in their health journey, participating in bowel cancer screening tests.

The Australian Government offers free screening kits to more than 6 million Australians each year through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. But alarmingly only four in 10 complete the test.

Despite this low participation rate, in a recent survey conducted for the Australian Government and Cancer Council, nine out of 10 people, aged 50 years or older in the survey said they took their health seriously, and four out of five knew that bowel cancer is one of the top three cancers leading to death in Australia.

Almost one-quarter of the survey respondents (23 per cent) said they were much more likely to prioritise their health leading up to a milestone in their lives.

In an effort to encourage a greater rate of participation, McGranger joined forces with the Cancer Council to promote the potential life-saving benefits of the screening.

“Like many others, I delayed taking the national bowel cancer screening test,” she said at the time.

“I took it for the first time last year, and it was such a weight off my shoulders to know I’d done something so easy to contribute positively to my health.

“My only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner. There are still so many milestones I want to enjoy – taking the test is one way to make sure I don’t miss any of them.”