After a stellar 33-year stint on Australia’s Home and Away, Lynne McGranger has stepped back from the role that launched her to fame. Lynne, 72 announced back in February that she would be leaving the show, and just a few months later, she filmed her final scene as Irene Roberts. Lynne’s final scenes in Home and Away premiered back in August, with her character being diagnosed with dementia. “After almost 33 years in my dream role and working every day with people whom I love, respect, and whom I now consider family, it’s bittersweet to be closing the chapter on what has been the best and longest gig of my life,” she said when the announcement was made back in February.

Her silver screen send-off saw Alf Stewart (Ray Meagher), Leah Patterson (Ada Nicodemou), Marilyn Chambers (Emily Symons) and Roo Stewart (Georgie Parker) all gather for a farewell party for the Summer Bay matriarch. The episode then sees Irene hand John Palmer (Shane Withington) a plane ticket to Paris when she asks him to meet her at the Eiffel Tower. “It’s not goodbye, it’s au revoir,” she says. The episode saw die-hard fans come out in droves to pay homage to both Irene Roberts and Lynne McGranger.

Now, as she enjoys an era of semi-retirement, what does the actress plan to do post-Summer Bay, and what do we know about her family? Keep reading for more.

Lynne McGranger’s lookalike daughter

Lynne McGranger shares her daughter, Clancy, with her partner, Paul. Clancy was just 20 months old when the actress took on what was meant to be a three-month stint on the soap, replacing original actress Jacquy Phillips. However, what was meant to be a short-term gig ended up being a 33-year career. “I was terrified because of my age,” Lynne told The Australian Women’s Weekly in an interview. “There was an assumption that I knew what I was doing, and I didn’t really have a clue because I’d only really done theatre. But I remember the producer saying to me, ‘Watch Judy Nunn [who played Ailsa Stewart] and learn.'”

Clancy, now 34, also got the opportunity to appear on-screen alongside her mum when she was offered a gig as an extra on the Summer Bay set. “I was mainly in the diner or the surf club,” she explained to The Australian Women’s Weekly, joking that she eventually got promoted to being the waitress.

Speaking about her mother’s decision to retire and their close bond, Clancy said: “Mum was the main breadwinner and it’s been cool because I’ve been raised with the belief that it doesn’t have to be that way where the woman stays at home and men go to work. I’ve got two awesome role models.”

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“I’d love for her to retire, but there’s no way that she’s going to! She wants to go and perform more and do stage shows and if that makes her happy, I want her to 100 per cent go and do that. But also, just enjoy life.”