“Episode 8557: Tensions Surge—Roo’s Decision, Remi’s Reckoning, and Cohen’s Crisis”

Next week, Home and Away will air Lynne McGranger’s final episodes as Irene Roberts. When Irene first arrived in Summer Bay in 1991, the character was played by Jacqy Phillips, but Lynne McGranger took over for Irene’s return in 1993, and has been in the role ever since.

Image: Jeremy Greive

Earlier this year, it was announced that Lynne was leaving the show, and she filmed her final scene on Wednesday 26th March, on the iconic ‘Pier Diner’ set.

Last Sunday saw Lynne take home the Gold Logie at Australia’s prestigious TV Week Logie Awards, as well as the Silver Logie for Best Lead Actress in a Drama. Now, a little over a week later, the character she has played for 32 years is about to say goodbye to Summer Bay for good.

It’s been less than a month since Irene was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, after experiencing a series of concerning memory lapses. John (Shane Withington) encouraged Irene to speak to a doctor after she admitted that she’d found herself in her garden in the middle of the night, in her nightie, with no idea what she was doing there.

She’d also begun to forget appointments and plans with friends, and in her worst moment, nearly left baby Archie in the house after forgetting she was babysitting for Harper (Jessica Redmayne).

A trip to Northern Districts Hospital confirmed a potential diagnosis after Bree (Juliet Godwin) carried out a lumbar puncture, and the diagnosis was confirmed after Irene and John headed to the city for an appointment with a neurologist.

In the weeks since Irene received the terrible news, she tried to continue on as normal, but quickly realised that it would be impossible.

As she took a trip down memory lane, she began writing names on the back of all of her treasured photos, ready for when she began to forget the people and the memories captured on them.

After some encouragement from John, she tearfully shared her news with Leah (Ada Nicodemou), and just days later, decided to sell her share of the diner to her best friend and business partner, not wanting to be a burden.

Yet perhaps the biggest shock came a couple of weeks ago, when Irene announced she was selling her house and leaving the bay.

After talking to an enthusiastic Sonny (Ryan Bown), who had bonded with Irene when he cheered her up with a night of music and dancing, she decided that she wanted to spend her time travelling the world while she still could.

“I wanna see old friends while I still remember them,” she explained.

She put her house on the market – much to the shock of her lodgers Harper and Dana (Ally Harris) – and it looks like new arrivals Sergeant David Langham (Jeremy Lindsay Taylor) and daughter Jo (Maddison Brown) will be the new custodians of Summer Bay’s iconic beach house.

Jeremy Greive

John, Leah and Alf (Ray Meagher) have all done their best to talk Irene out of her plan, reminding her that by selling her house, she won’t have a base to return to – plus, when the time comes, she’ll need the money to pay for her care.

However, Irene hasn’t been dissuaded, and her friends eventually came around to her plan, with Leah, Justin (James Stewart) and Theo (Matt Evans) chipping in to help her plan her big adventure.

She plans to kick off her world tour in Cyprus, visiting granddaughter Luc, who’s living there with adoptive dad VJ – Luc’s biological father being Irene’s wayward son Mick – before continuing to visit old friends around the globe.

The only person not on board with her plan is John, who’s struggling with the idea of losing one of his closest friends.

This week, with Irene ‘terrified of her failing memory’, she makes a ‘shock announcement’ – and it looks like the announcement is that, with the house sold, she’s leaving in just a few days’ time!

As her friends gather to help her pack up her things, the beach house is left eerily empty for the first time in decades. The only thing left in the living room is the board she and her friends have used to plan her big adventure.

With her plans finalised, she wants to say goodbye to Summer Bay in style, as she tells her friends: “Let’s have a party. A real rip-snorter.”

In record time, Leah and Alf – aided by Justin and Marilyn (Emily Symons) – organise a celebratory event next to the beach, as all of the bay come together to celebrate her life and see her off.

Everyone, that is, apart from John! Knowing that his time with Irene is numbered, he does his best to pretend that she isn’t leaving, as the thought of saying goodbye overwhelms him. However, he risks wasting the precious time he and Irene have left with each other.

“I don’t know how to say goodbye,” he explains. “Don’t have the words.”

As the event gets underway, there are farewell speeches, there’s laughter, and Irene is even treated to a special musical performance by Justin and Theo. Lucky her.

“Our last scenes were incredibly difficult but rich,” Lynne tells TV Week. “Ada was sobbing and Shane, I think, is still in denial! They were the hardest to tell that I was leaving, but I know we’ll always be friends beyond Home and Away.”

However, with John a no-show, will he return in time to say goodbye? Thankfully, a promo which has been airing across the Seven network in recent weeks, shows that John will indeed turn up to see Irene off.

“We think we’re just making a bit of telly, but I’ve realised that in some ways, this is a lifeline for people,” Lynne continues. “Irene has had an impact on people, which is a huge honour and responsibility. I’m so grateful for everyone.”

There are bound to be plenty of tears, as Irene says goodbye after 33 years.

Irene’s final episode on Home and Away airs next Tuesday 19th August on Seven. UK viewers will see her farewell in early October.