Home and Away icon Ray Meagher slams show that made him a household name for straying too far from its roots: ‘It’s not Summer Bay’
He’s known for his beloved character Alf Stewart on Seven’s Home and Away.
But actor Ray Meagher, 79, is not backward in coming forward to knock the show that helped him become a TV icon over the last 36 years.
In a candid new interview, Ray has criticised the soap for becoming less wholesome.
He suggested the crime-based storylines that have dominated the story action in Summer Bay for more than a decade have caused the show to stray too far from its 80s roots.
‘There is still a penchant for a River Boy,’ Ray said of the show’s recent cast of ‘bad boys’ in a chat with industry blog TV Tonight.
‘I mean, that was just a great period. But was it Summer Bay? Hmmm…. in my humble opinion, not to that extent.’
Ray’s comment referred to the popular ‘River Boys’ storyline which was launched in 2011.
It featured a trio of tough male characters, played by Lincoln Younes, Steve Peacocke and Dan Ewing, who bring trouble to Summer Bay.
Meagher, who has been playing Alf on the show since its debut in 1988, praised the talent behind the ‘River Boys’ storylines.
But he believes it jarred against the show’s original premise which centered on a family bringing in foster kids to a little coastal village.
Ray said that there was ‘nothing wrong’ with the ‘sex, drugs and rock and roll’ storyline of The River Boys but he adds: ‘Except it came in too big a dose.’
It comes after Ray renewed his contract to star on Home and Away for another five years at the beginning of 2022.
In a surprise revelation Ray said he never thought he had much of a future on the show.
‘We’d done the pilot and to be honest, I was older and more cynical, and was convinced it would crash and burn like most [shows] do,’ he said.
Ray told the Scottish Sun he was finally persuaded by the producers to sign on to the show for six months – after first refusing their offer of a two-year contract.
‘I didn’t ever really have a target of years or anything like that,’ he said.
‘People often say, why would you stay that long?
‘I think the basic answer is the people. We’ve got a wonderful crew and some of them have nearly been there as long as me.’
Home & Away screens on Seven.
