Ray Meagher reveals why he never had kids
For 30 years while starring as Alf Stewart on Home and Away, Ray Meagher has played a father, stepfather and foster father on the popular show.
Now in a new interview, the Aussie actor has revealed why he never had children of his own.
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Ray Meagher said: “When I was younger as a freelance actor, I wondered whether I’d be able to feed myself let alone anybody else.”
“It's a funny old profession, it’s very precarious, it's a pretty dodgy old profession employment-wise.
“I have a stepdaughter Rebecca (the daughter of his wife Gilly) 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.”
Meagher no longer has to worry about the uncertainty of his acting career, with his role on Home and Away spanning three decades – earning himself the title of the longest serving soap actor in Australian history.
Last night at the Logies, Meagher took home the award for Most Popular Actor.
During his acceptance speech, Meagher thanked his former co-star Cornelia Frances, who passed away in May this year.
"A lot of the young people go off to Hollywood to audition for bigger and better things. This lady decided to try to get into that studio in the sky,” he said.
“When she got up to the pearly gates, I hope St Peter didn't have the temerity to say, 'You can't come here'.
"I think she would have looked over the top of those horn-rimmed glasses and said, 'Peter, you are the weakest link. Goodbye'.
"Cornie, we know you are up there looking down with the champagne. We are not going to mourn your passing anymore. We are going to celebrate your life."
In the interview, the actor explained his wife's absence at the significant event.
“Gilly would rather swallow a tonne of bricks than go to the Logies,” Meagher said.
“She says ‘That’s your work, you go and you don’t have to worry about me … not knowing a whole heap of people’ so she’s very comfortable with that.”
In an interview with the Daily Mail in May, Meagher revealed that he was reluctant to leave Summer Bay as he wasn’t sure how he would cope in retirement.
“I've never really thought about it [retirement],” he said.
He added: “You know, I'm not sure what I'd do if I retire - I'm not into gardening. I hope it's a long way off. The main thing at this age is to try and stay fit and healthy and well and, so far, touch something, that's working, at least.”