Lynne McGranger: 'Old faces should visit Irene'

[Light of the Bay]

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s15/home-and-away/news/a445058/home-and-away-star-lynne-mcgranger-old-faces-should-visit-irene.html

I hope TPTB take notice of Lynne's wishes as Irene is in dire need of stories of her own. Brining back some old faces such as Hayley or Selina would give Irene something to do instead of tossing salad in the Diner. I'd also like her to find love again as Lynne says in the interview.

[j.laur5]

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s15/home-and-away/news/a445058/home-and-away-star-lynne-mcgranger-old-faces-should-visit-irene.html

I hope TPTB take notice of Lynne's wishes as Irene is in dire need of stories of her own. Brining back some old faces such as Hayley or Selina would give Irene something to do instead of tossing salad in the Diner. I'd also like her to find love again as Lynne says in the interview.

I think Irene has be great this year with being there for April and Bianca.

The problem is when they do give Irene a storyline it only lasts for about 10 minutes and then its all forgotton about.

So its much better for Irene to just to stay the way she is.

[alexx]

That was a nice insight. I agree with her about bringing some of her kids back. I just don't see the point at all in constantly bringing in new characters when there are actually better and more established characters from the past who should be returning.

It's so unrealistic that Damien hasn't been back to see his mum in 16 years. Same goes for Fin, but I'd rather Damien returned because I preferred him, but more importantly, he is still an actor and would presumably come back.

Of course Selina is my second choice - she was the very first kid Irene 'took in' and they had a very special bond that hasn't ever been replicated. They were so close, it makes absolutely no sense that she has been gone and never spoken of.

If Selina or Damien do come back, the writers need to actually acknowledge and work it into the storyline as to why they haven't been back. Create some drama. Perhaps Irene is shocked, surprised and happy to see Selina for example, but also holds a bit of resentment towards her for turning her back on her and loosing contact. Then we can watch them re-build their relationship again.

There is also unfinished business with Damo. I think realistically, Irene would still feel like she has made a mess of her relationship with her kids, despite them appearing to make up and be cool with each other over the years. The fact that he hasn't been back for 16 years should make Irene doubt herself and still hold onto the guilt she has for being drunk aggressive towards them as kids. I just think she would still be insecure about that and need reassurance from her real kids.

Hayley would be the character I least want to come back. She wasn't a very special character Imo, most of the time she had very boring, drawn out romance storylines (that I have no interest in) and I was glad she left when she did.

[Jezz]

I hope the writers give Irene more screen exposure next year. She's an iconic character. I'd love to see Finley or Damien back on the show. I remember that Finley and Irene still keep in contact. I think Fin runs a restaurant in the city and this was mentioned when Belle's stalker Dom Moran applied for a job over there, but he was oblivious to the fact that it was Irene's daughter. I'd like to see how Fin's life has panned out with now married life being on the agenda and having a child.

I agree with Lynne, the more storylines Irene has, the better it will be for the show and for her character's development. I'm even getting a little tired of Irene always being in the background. I hope the writers take her suggestions on board and they write more stories involving her. If we had a balance between the River Boys and iconic characters like Irene, the show would be excellent.

[Perry]

I've said it so many times but Paul and/or Mark need to come into this show now, the characters should be 16 or 17 more or less as ages don't matter in soaps. If they want to bring characters back for the 25th anniversary year, Irene is a character with heaps of history and a lot of step/foster children probably more so then Alf.

[Homeandawayfan.]

On the subject of ages they can matter to certain viewers and we dont always like it when they change ages willy nilly. I know they rarely do that for older characters in H&A but even so. Rewriting history is not always good, just to suit a plot.

But it would be good for Damo to return. Irene is one of the longest serving characters in the show and I hope even Nathan returns.

[beau_t]

I wonder if she knows something we don't. She has never spoken at such length about past foster kids (and real kids) returning before. She usually brushes over such questions. 2013 will be the 20th anniversary of Lynne McGranger on the show (and Irene as a main character). It would be nice if they did a reunion episode for her like they have done in the past for Sally and Alf.

[cadyctslover]

^ That's a nice idea beau_t, so many of the returnees for Alf's birthday in episode 4000 had connections with Irene, and even back then you could tell she had a real connection and purpose in the bay. I hope some of that returns next year.

[cadyctslover]

Digital Spy Article

This article sheds some interesting light on this topic. It sounds as though Lynne agrees that Irene has been a bit lonely in recent years, and that perhaps it's time for some of her relatives to return, and for the writers to return to developing the character .

[Light of the Bay]

^ I just saw that article in the 2013 spoilers thread and I have to say I'm excited about what's in store for Irene in 2013. I feel there is a lot of life and potential left in Irene as a character and having people from her past returning will allow Irene to develop - as you say