Home and Away star Lynne McGranger shares "abject terror" over Irene role

 She's been a regular on the soap since 1993.

Home and Away veteran Lynne McGranger has looked back on her first few weeks on the show, admitting to feeling "terrified" walking on a TV set.

The Aussie star has been playing Irene Roberts regularly since 1993, a nearly 30-year-long stint that makes her the longest-serving female cast member of the soap.

"I felt absolute abject terror," she told TV Week in a recent chat.

McGranger explained she was relatively new to TV acting back then and had to readjust her ways – with a little help from Judy Nunn, who played Ailsa Stewart.

"I was terrified because I'd never done anything like it. I'd acted on television a little bit in [1986-1993 Australian series] The Flying Doctors and other things, but not using steadicam [a camera stabiliser used for film and TV]," she explained.

"I was so used to leaping about on stage that staying in one spot was bizarre. I remember one of the producers saying, 'Just watch what Judy Nunn does, you get the sense of how it works'."

Following her first months on set, the actress slowly but surely gained confidence, revealing it took her "a year or so" before she could feel at ease.

"You muddle your way through and then suddenly, they keep paying you because they think you know what you're doing," she said, with a laugh.

"And here we are today."

Home and Away airs weekdays at 1.45pm on Channel 5 and 6pm on 5STAR. First-look screenings air at 6.30pm on 5STAR and the show also streams on My5.