Ray Meagher, AKA Alf Stewart, has criticised the showrunners of Home and Away. Photo / Getty Images
Iconic Home and Away star Ray Meagher, known for his character Alf Stewart, has slammed the show, claiming it is now unrecognisable from its early days.
Speaking to TV Tonight, the veteran actor criticised the showrunners, saying while the show initially focused on a small community and the Fletcher family, since 2011, with the introduction of the River Boys, it has focused largely on hard-hitting, crime-based narratives.
Referencing the eventful storyline that followed Lincoln Younes, Steve Peacocke and Dan Ewing’s characters and the trouble they created in the seaside town, Meagher said, “There is still penchant for a River Boy,” before adding, “I mean, that was just a great period. But was it Summer Bay? Hmm… in my humble opinion, not to that extent.”
He went on to say while he understands there is a place for “sex, drugs and rock and roll”, he believes the way Home and Away incorporated it into the storyline was “too big of a dose” and made the show something it was never meant to be.
Meagher admitted a similar opinion to the Herald in 2013, saying “We may have gone a little too far from the original concept, and the balance gets a little bit out of whack sometimes.”
He continued to say, he’d like to see more of a return to character-driven storylines and traditional Home and Away fodder.
“You can’t have fist-to-the-forehead, turgid teenage love stories, or people with guns in people’s faces and shoving drugs down their throats all the time. I guess I like to see a belly laugh every 10 minutes, and then a few smiles along the way.”
Despite the comments, news.com.au reported Meagher recently committed to another five years with his Home and Away family. It’s understood the star will remain a regular character until at least 2027, solidifying his status as the longest-serving actor on the show.
