Home and Away star calls for more diversity
Home and Away star Ray Meagher has spoken out about the iconic soap changing direction from its original premise and how he wants better LGBTQ+ representation on the show.
Meagher, who has played Alf Stewart on the show since 1988 and is signed on until at least 2027, shared his thoughts on the show's creative direction.
The soap, which has explored every possible plot line with cults, abductions, car and motorcycle accidents, health scares, and more, started to go on a different journey following the introduction of the River boys in 2011, with the storyline now focusing more on crimes.
Meagher criticised network execs for letting the soap stray from its premise of a seaside community and its original Fletcher family taking in foster children.
“There is still penchant for a River Boy,” he said in an interview with TV Tonight.
“I mean, that was just a great period. But was it Summer Bay? Hmmm…. in my humble opinion, not to that extent,” Meagher added.
He also said that there was nothing wrong with the storylines or the focus on "sex, drugs and rock and roll" but believes that the change of pace "came in too big of a dose," and made the show completely different from its original plot.
Meagher also said that it's about time the show had better LGBTQ+ representation, after the show was previously criticised for lack of sustained LGBTQIA+ characters
“It’d be nice to have a nice gay character come into the Bay. That would be good,” he said.
“However, how many of them do we have in Summer Bay? There would definitely be a percentage, whether they’re above the ground or underground still in a town like the Bay."
“The one thing that I have a bit of a problem with is sometimes when you realise there’s a representative hole when people tend to think, ‘Oh, jeez, we’ve ignored that area,’ and then there’s a wash of it. And you think ‘No community looks like that," he added.
Image: Seven