Home and Away star Georgie Parker reacts to 10-year milestone as Roo Stewart

 Home and Away star Georgie Parker has reflected on her impressive 10-year milestone in the role of Roo Stewart, revealing that she always hoped to secure such a long stint with the show.

The former All Saints star took over the role of Roo in 2010 and has stuck with the Summer Bay soap ever since.

Georgie recently celebrated 10 years to the day since her first episode aired in Australia, while UK fans saw her first appearance in December 2010.

Speaking to Digital Spy about her longevity with the show, Georgie laughed: "It's so weird! I didn't even know, until I realised that my daughter was 10 when I joined and she turned 20 in September. Where has that time gone? It just feels like nothing!

"It's bizarre. In some jobs, you feel every day of it. In others, you think: 'Oh gosh, it's the end of another year!' This is definitely one of those jobs because the time just flies by. I'm thrilled that I can say I've been here for 10 years."

Asked whether she always hoped for a long stay, Georgie replied: "I knew the show would just keep going, because it's become its own world. I also knew that I said yes to stay.

"I love doing theatre, so in my contract, they do let me take breaks for that. So whenever Roo goes off air, it's because I'm off in a play. If Roo ever goes off to do some outback teaching or something like that, it's because I'm doing a play in Sydney!

"I was very fortunate to be able to say 'yes' to this job and I'm very fortunate that it's still ongoing.

"It's bizarre. In some jobs, you feel every day of it. In others, you think: 'Oh gosh, it's the end of another year!' This is definitely one of those jobs because the time just flies by. I'm thrilled that I can say I've been here for 10 years."

Asked whether she always hoped for a long stay, Georgie replied: "I knew the show would just keep going, because it's become its own world. I also knew that I said yes to stay.

"I love doing theatre, so in my contract, they do let me take breaks for that. So whenever Roo goes off air, it's because I'm off in a play. If Roo ever goes off to do some outback teaching or something like that, it's because I'm doing a play in Sydney!

"I was very fortunate to be able to say 'yes' to this job and I'm very fortunate that it's still ongoing.

"I always wanted it to be a long run and that's why you say yes to shows like this, because they give you the opportunity to knuckle down and get the work done. I like that rhythm of working all the time."

Georgie went on to reflect on her favourite storyline – the Summer Bay sinkhole shock from 2018.

She said: "I've had a lot of different storylines that I've really liked, but my favourite had to be when Ray Meagher and I were down the sinkhole! Alf had concrete on him and was having a heart attack. That's when he admitted to Roo that Martha was not dead.

"We loved all of the scenes that we got to play out with that. Ray and I loved the drama of it and really enjoyed it. Then Belinda Giblin came in as Martha, which was fantastic. Now we're a family and it's great.

"Ray, Belinda and Lukas Radovich (Ryder) are among the people I'm closest to at work. I'm also very close to Emily Symons (Marilyn) – we're good mates and I think she is the best. I get on really well with everyone. I get on really well with Sam Frost (Jasmine) and just so many of the others, like Paddy O'Connor (Dean).

"When you're working with people for such long hours and you have to do a lot of problem solving, it just makes you connect with people on a different level. But the people I spend the most time with are Ray, Belinda, Emily and Lukas. We're like a little family.

"I'm also still in touch with a lot of people who have left the show too."

Prior to Home and Away, Georgie was best known for playing the role of Terri Sullivan on All Saints.

On the roles she gets recognised for when she's out and about, Georgie said: "It's Roo quite a bit, and it's Terri from All Saints a bit. It totally depends on the age of the person.

"Sometimes I get people saying 'I watched you on Play School', which was literally for four-year-olds! I did about five to seven years of that and I have a lot of people who know me from that, who are now running around at the age of 20.

"Then I've got the theatre people who don't watch TV but they'll come to the theatre. Most of the time people call me Georgie, but what I find most amusing is when people get it wrong and call me Georgia!"

Home and Away airs weekdays at 1.15pm and 6pm on Channel 5 (UK) and Mondays to Thursdays at 7pm on Channel 7 (Australia).