Home and Away cast members past and present have shared celebratory messages on social media for Ray Meagher’s 80th birthday. The TV legend, who has played Alf Stewart on the soap opera since the very first episode in 1988, hit the milestone age on Thursday, July 4.
In addition to birthday posts from his co-stars, including Emily Symons, Ethan Browne and Matt Evans, the show’s official social media account shared a gallery of sweet throwback snaps to celebrate Ray’s big day. One black-and-white photo features Ray wearing a rugby uniform outside his school, while another shows him as a young child smiling at the camera.
“A huge Happy 80th Birthday to the king of Summer Bay Ray! How cute are these throwback pics,” they captioned the post.
Fans from all over the world took to the comments to celebrate Ray’s 80th, calling him a “legend” and the “goat of Summer Bay”.
“Stone the flamin’ crows! Happy birthday Mr Stewart!” one person wrote, while another added, “Happy birthday, Ray! You flamin’ legend!”.
“Happy 80th Ray ya flamin’ galah have a great day all the best wishes for the future to come,” a third commented.
“Many happy returns Ray, you don’t look a day over 60,” someone else remarked.
Surprising way Ray’s celebrating his 80th birthday
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph earlier this week, Ray admitted he will be spending his milestone birthday on the set of Home and Away.
“I’ve got seven straight scenes so I will be up at five in the morning and finish at seven,” he said. “I’ve always shied away from celebrations a bit. I used to joke with Lynne McGranger because she would tell everybody her birthday was coming up a month in advance and keep celebrating it for a month after.
“I am perfectly happy to slink under the radar and go along quietly, but I love a party, meaning a few beers with a few friends.”
The Gold Logie winner also appeared on both Sunrise and The Morning Show on Thursday morning where he was given a birthday cake that read: “Happy Birthday ya flaming’ galah!”