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Ray Meagher has been playing Home And Away's beloved Alf Stewart for more than 30 years and earned himself a Guinness World Record for the longest-serving soaps star in Australia.
His dramatic storylines and endless twists and turns on the soap have cemented the 77-year-old actor’s place as one of Australia’s most legendary TV stars.
While it’s hard to imagine Ray’s career taking him anywhere other than Summer Bay, fans may not know he was almost a sporting star for a major Aussie rugby team.
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As he gets set to celebrate 35-years on the hit show, let’s take a look at the Gold Logie Award winner’s life off-camera, which comes with many of its own dramatic storylines…
Sporting career
Despite becoming the longest-serving soap star in Australian history and boasting a Guinness World Record for the achievement, Ray Meagher revealed back in 2019 how his career could have taken a very different turn.
Prior to joining the long-running Channel Seven soap, the now 77-year-old had tried out for Australia's national rugby union team, the Wallabies.
Having played club rugby in Queensland in his young adult years, followed by a few games at state level, Ray was asked to trial for the Wallabies, ahead of their 1969 South Africa tour.
It was during this trial that one of the selectors simply shook his head when referring to Ray, ending his chances of wearing the green and gold jersey.
'I didn't deserve to go anyway but I think it's quite a funny story,' Ray told Confidential. Following the end of his sporting dreams, Ray decided to join a pal in a pantomime and got he bug for acting.
The rest is history.
Nurse wife
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You know they belong together – Ray certainly thinks so!
The actor married his long-term partner and former nurse Gilly Meagher in a low-key secret ceremony in 2010 and the actor has often claimed she “saved his life.”
Speaking about his nuptials, he admitted the pair kept it small as they had both been married before.
"When you've both been there before, you don't want fuss and carry-on and all that," Ray told New Idea.
"We just went away and did it, and then gradually told a few people who mattered to us. We're both very happy about it."
While his soap character Alf has fathered four children on the show, Ray says he never had his own family because he prioritised his career. However, he has a close bond with his step-daughter.
"I have a stepdaughter Rebecca who is in her early 40s and I talk to her at least once a week and see her for brekkie or brunch whenever the Home And Away schedule permits, which is maybe once a fortnight, and I love that."
Gilly’s experience as a nurse proved to be critical in Ray’s recover back in 2019 when he underwent a triple heart bypass.
Hospital dash
The Home And Away star was rushed to hospital back in 2019 with discomfort in his chest where doctors found three serious blockages in his coronary artery.
He rapidly underwent a triple heart bypass, and while the surgery was deemed a success, Ray underwent a second operation seven months later after suffering more discomfort.
"It was just a build-up of bad living for 40 years and having too much fun," he reveals.
Despite the invasive surgery, Ray refused to slow down and was back at work eight weeks later.
Home and Away continues at 6.30pm weeknights on 5Star
"I'm a pretty pragmatic sort of a bloke – I just get on with it," he says.
Ray now ensures he gets his steps up every day and has pulled back on some of his vices – however he isn't about to let a couple of health scares ruin all the fun.
"I drink a lot less beer now but still sometimes have a bit more than is deemed good," he admits.
"You know when you meet up with mates and have a bit of a yarn and a bit of a drink? I still like to have those nights occasionally."
As well as a few lifestyle tweaks, Ray cites his wife of 10 years Gilly – who previously worked as a nurse – as a major factor in his recovery.
"She was a life-saver," he says of his adoring spouse. "And she keeps me on the straight and narrow now."
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- Home and Away
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