Lynne McGranger deflects to Channel Nine after decades as Seven’s golden girl
Home and Away favourite Lynne McGranger hasn’t been able to stay away from the screen for long!
After finishing up with the iconic soap last year, the 73-year-old has been cast in a brand new television show which is shore (pun intended) to get our hearts racing.
In SHARK!, six celebrities are set to faces their greatest fears as they head into the water with some of the most frightening species known to humans – you guessed it, sharks.
More specifically, the bull shark, the hammerhead and the tiger shark.
Lynne McGranger is joined by Olympic gold medalist Ariarne Titmus, social media influencer Tammy Hembrow, The Block host Scott Cam, NRL commentator Sam Thaiday, and Hollywood actor Matt Nable.
They will be put to the test in various shark challenges that are said to escalate in danger and intensity, from diving with the safety of a protective cage to an open water swim with one of the most aggressive of all sharks…
Sounds terrifying!
Shot in the Bahamas, shark attack survivor Paul de Gelder – who lost his right leg and hand in a Sydney Harbour bull shark attack – alongside shark expert and conservationist Annie Guttridge will guide the celebrities through the challenges.
The show will air later this year on on Home and Away‘s rival network Channel Nine and 9Now.
Why did Lynne McGranger leave Home and Away?
On February 23rd last year, Lynne announced her departure from her “dream role” as Lynne on Home and Away.
“I am forever grateful to the best production crew in the world and to our genius writers – whose doors are always open – for everything they have done for Irene over the past 33-odd years, and I am so proud of the storyline which will see Irene out of the Bay. Above all, a massive, heartfelt thank you to the fans for your continued love and support,” she wrote in a shared statement.
The actress revealed to The Daily Telegraph that leaving the show had been an idea in her head for “a few years”, saying “I thought, I’ve still got my health, my fitness, and I would like to branch out again and do some more theatre, maybe a bit of radio, a bit of stand up comedy”.
“I’m not going to live forever, particularly if I keep doing 14-hour days. You get a bit tired, you need your sleep, if you have a bad night’s sleep, you will pay the price the next day. My body isn’t as resilient as it once was,” she confessed, adding that “you either leave voluntarily or leave in a box by the time you’re my age”.
Lynne joined Home and Away in 1993 and remained on the series until the end of last year, making her the longest-serving female cast member of a TV soap in Australia.