After standing side-by-side for 15 years as on-screen father and daughter in Home and Away, Georgie Parker and Ray Meagher have developed a mutual respect that rivals the best in the business. So much so, that neither of them will leave the show without the other!

During our interview Georgie, who plays Roo Stewart, expresses her adoration for her co-star, who is notching up more than 37 years on the show. And as long as Ray, who plays her father Alf Stewart, is staying in Summer Bay, so is she.

“He is a dedicated performer and takes his job very seriously. It’s been a good career for him because he likes to work. Whereas I have a strong work ethic but I’m not a workaholic; I want too much out of my personal life,” she says with a laugh.

“But I’m not going to leave him. I will be there as long as Ray is – and I don’t see him leaving anytime soon!”

During his long career Ray has worked with some well-known names. Recently, he was delighted to share screen time again with another former co-star, Stephen Peacocke.

As fans know well, Stephen’s much-loved character Brax and his on-screen partner Ricky (Bonnie Sveen) will be back on Home and Away in 2026. While many of their scenes were filmed in Western Australia, Ray hints that Alf and Brax might get to catch up.

“It was just fantastic,” Ray, 81, says of acting with Stephen again. “They were just really good scenes about life and what Brax wants to do and all of that.”

There’s another former H&A star who Ray is pushing to see back in the Bay – Kate Ritchie. The actress played Sally Fletcher from 1988 to 2008, with a brief guest appearance in 2013.

“If there are two characters from the past who are bigger than Ben Hur, Brax and Sally would be the two,” Ray says. “Nobody’s forgotten Sally, and it would be wonderful to have her back. Whether that happens, who knows?”

Both Ray and Georgie are grateful for what their careers have given them. From A Country Practice to All Saints and everything in between, Georgie has a true connection with fans.

“I don’t wear it lightly,” she says. “If people come up to me and call me Roo, I know they’re a fan of H&A. But if they call me Georgie, I know they’ve watched more, and that often tells me how old they are and where they are in life. It’s nice.”

As Christmas nears, Ray is looking forward to zipping away with wife, Gilly, to Queensland’s Sunshine Beach, where they have a beach house.

“We don’t have to take any gear, we can just walk in and relax,” he says of their home away from Home and Away.

Meanwhile, Georgie is keen to spend time with loved ones. “I’m just grateful to still have my parents and stepfather with me, and my siblings,” she says.

“I consider it a great good fortune. It’s important how you spend your time and who with, and if a good opportunity comes your way, embrace it.”

As for what viewers can look forward to next year, Ray teases there “might be ‘trouble brewing” in Summer Bay.

“All I can say is that, at Alf’s age, driving can become an issue,” Ray teases. Strewth!

Meanwhile, in light of Neighbours coming to an end, Georgie hopes Home and Away can stay the course for a long time to come.

“I feel a lot of empathy for them and the audience,” she says of the show.

“For us, it spotlights the importance of continuing to deliver for the audience, industry and crew. This is a great place for young cast members to learn. It’s a safe haven for many.”