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Seven plots Home & Away spin-off, Yabbie Creek.

Lynne McGranger to star as Irene solving murder mysteries in a new 7TWO series.

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EXCLUSIVE:

After 37 seasons, Home & Away is getting its first mystery series spin-off, Yabbie Creek.

An 8 part series set to screen on 7TWO will centre around Irene Roberts (Lynne McGranger) helping local police to solve a string of murders rippling through the town.

Yabbie Creek has long been referred to as the fictional neighbouring town to Summer Bay. In the new series, Irene is drawn into the investigation of several bizarre murders, determined to help, despite pushback from Detective Sgt. Geoff Cooper (Lincoln Lewis). Irene knows people and can see what makes them tick. It’s a blessing and a curse. But beneath it all are her own fears – that deep down she’s still just a manager at a local diner. Surely it’s only a matter of time before everybody realises it?

Adopting a mystery-of-the-week format, the series will chart a darker, more adult tone than Home & Away and will be rated MA.

Seven Network Chief Content Officer, Entertainment Programming, Angus Ross, said, “Home & Away has a rich history on Australian television and the Summer Bay universe runs deep with drama, intrigue and a tapestry of favourite Aussie characters. With Irene already known for helping to solve everyone’s problems it was a natural fit to apply her earthly instincts into a brand new series, on Australia’s home for mysteries, 7TWO.

“With a spectacular coastal backdrop and Lynne McGranger’s Logie-nominated talents, we can’t wait to bring this to screens in 2025.”

Lynne McGranger said, “You absolute ripper! I’m already living Irene’s ultimate life and now I’m about to do it in Yabbie Creek sortin’ out their muck. Irene is funny, she’s compassionate, she’s flawed, all of those things that we all are. Some days, I’m just going, ‘G’day darl’ can I get you a cuppa?’ and then other days, it’s real emotional stuff.

“In Yabbie Creek she won’t take no for an answer in order to get to the bottom of a new mystery every week. Bring it on!”

Yabbie Creek will draw upon a long legacy of Summer Bay characters including Stephen Heathcote as Daryl Braxton, Debra Lawrance as Pippa Ross, Lyn Collingwood as Colleen Smart, and Norman Coburn as Donald ‘Flathead’ Fisher who spontaneously combusts in the first episode when he is moved into a nursing home for retired surfies and greenies.

Producers are hoping to lure Chris Hemsworth into a guest role reprising his character of Kim Hyde, but sources said they would settle for Les Hill.

The series is also expected to be given a primetime screening on Channel 5 in Britain and will kick off with a Live UK Tour featuring Yabbie Creek merchandise and an audience Q+A.

Producers are also exploring other character spin-offs including Ray Meagher in Alf’s Deadliest Catch, Emily Symons in Marilyn: Bringing Sexy Back and Ada Nicodemou in Leah’s Trip to Eurovision.

Seven reportedly knocked back a suggestion for a drama series based on Fast Forward‘s famous Dumb Street sketch.

Image: Roberto Parlavecchio

Updated: Happy April Fool’s everyone, thanks for playing!

68 Responses

  1. This story was barely amusing on April 1st. Is it really a good idea to still be trying to “fool” people as a featured story at the top of the website four days later? Isn’t there enough fake news in the world without deliberately inventing more?

    1. Back in 2007 when the site launched I mentioned I would look to inject a little bit more fun into a most serious industry. A blog is not the New York Times. Based on the comments below, I’d suggest people look forward to a once a year tradition. Even Seven did their own April Fool’s on Sunrise.

    2. A Post stays up as long as people keep clicking on it….And this is the personal blog of Mr David Knox, so I guess he can do what he likes….His house! ..You and I and everyone else are invited guests and as guests we should be respectful.

    1. I could say the same thing for Home and Away. Home and Away is only popular in Australia. UK audiences have dwindled over the years. While on the other hand Neighbours is more popular worldwide. I’ve got friends in the US who love watching Neighbours. Home and Away has gone away from what it was originally about and is now more af a drama these days. Neighbours has kept its true form and tackles a lot of big issues and more recently Krista losing her baby at 22 weeks. Neighbours has diversity and Home and Away well what can I say.

  7. I’d watch Yabbie Creek and the Fast Forward drama any day of the week. They actually look promising.

    I also aways love these April Fools articles. Keep them up

  9. OMG, that is great news, I cannot wait!

    Hopefully, any H&A fans on this site will be remembering the last attempt at a spinoff, Headland!

    Ohhh… I just realised that today’s April the 1st, well played!

  12. Yeah, nah…after thinking it was a ridiculous scenario, I quickly realised it was an April Fools. Thanks for keeping the tradition alive David.

  15. My understanding is that there are some very quiet discussions in play to do a crossover with Wentworth, with Irene facing off against Joan “The Freak” Ferguson.
    Ferguson, who mysteriously walked off into the darkness as Wentworth came to an end, would turn up in Yabbie Creek with a twisted vendetta against at least one of the River Boys and its going to take Irene all her power to get to the bottom of it all.
    Pamela Rabe has been approached to reprise her Freak role, but no announcement has yet been forthcoming.

  19. Once again you have outdone yourself with another great joke. Just hope that this joke doesn’t cross the line like last year’s joke which crossed the line when the Daily Mail reported the joke as real news.

  24. Happy April Fool’s David! If only it were true as since 7Two stopped airing Home & Away’s early years there’s nothing worth watching on the channel. I’m sick of the Million Dollar Minute repeats.

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