Alf Stewart legend Ray Meagher signs mammoth new Home and Away deal

Beloved Home and Away character Alf Stewart has been at the heart of the drama for 35 years, but he’s not going anywhere soon, according to actor Ray Meagher.

The Australian TV legend has reportedly signed a five-year deal to stay on the soap, which he has promised to ‘definitely see that out’.

Home and Away is set to celebrate its 35th anniversary this year, and Ray Meagher has been involved from the very start.

Despite the success of the show and ultimately becoming the longest serving actor on it, Ray Meagher initially turned down a two-year contract, as he explained to The Scottish Sun:

‘It seems ridiculous now but I wouldn’t agree to the two-year contract they wanted me to sign’, he revealed.

‘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 do. So when they said we’re going to series and we want all the main characters to stay for two years, I was like you’ve got to be joking!

‘It seemed like a lifetime, so I told them there was no way I was signing for two years. Then they tried to get me to sign for a year, but again I refused. In the end I agreed to six months.’

35 years on, Home and Away is still going strong, and Alf is much loved by viewers, while Ray has a lot of respect from his co-stars over the years, including Thor actor Chris Hemsworth, who hailed him ‘the godfather of Australian television’.

Alf has recently been involved in a terrifying hostage ordeal that left him fighting for his life, and with a further five years on the show, we’re sure that the chaos is far from over.

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