Home and Away legend breaks silence on rumours the show is being AXED

9 July 2019, 12:47 | Updated: 9 July 2019, 12:53

Home and Away was rumoured to be struggling. Picture: Seven/PA Images

By Naomi Bartram

Home and Away legend Lynne McGranger has played down speculation the much-loved soap is being cancelled.

Following reports Home and Away is set to be axed after “plummeting ratings”, now one legend from the show has broken her silence.

Lynne McGranger, who's played Irene Roberts on the soap for over 25 years, has responded to the claims in a Twitter conversation with fans.

When one person said: “Please say it's not true,” she replied: “First I’ve heard of it,” along with a shrugging emoji.

She then explained: “I’m seeing all this stuff but I honestly have heard nothing. It may be true…. but then again I apparently was definitely leaving the Bay 18 months or so ago.”

Lynne has played Irene on Home and Away for over 25 years. Picture: PA Images

When another follower questioned why channel Seven - which it airs on over in Australia - hasn’t responded, Lynne simply wrote: “Give me strength”, before telling another fan to “talk to the suits”.

In one final message, she slammed: “To my knowledge this is [rubbish] Enough already . We are not going anywhere. I turn up to work. People film me. I get paid. Pretty sure that means the show will keep going to air. AND we’re 5-6 months ahead with the filming.”

Home and Away has been broadcast in the UK since 1988 on Channel 5.

But while the show has been an after school favourite for millions over the last three decades, sources recently claimed it is facing a downfall in ratings.

Apparently, scheduling clashes from the likes of Married At First Sight, LegoMasters and The Voice in Australia, are having an affect on how many people are tuning in.

It’s claimed that Channel Seven bosses are 'under pressure' to make changes to its scheduling - and this could mean the soap is pulled entirely.

While it was reported that Seven News drew in 1.115 million viewers at 6:30pm last Monday, these numbers fell to 661,000 when the soap began. This means 454K viewers turned over when the iconic theme tune started playing.

A TV source said, according to the Daily Mail: "It's nothing short of a disaster. There's some genuine concern about what happens from here."

While Channel 5 and Seven haven’t responded to the rumours just yet, Lynne said earlier this year: “Don’t believe everything you read people. I doubt much or even any of this is true.”