This major Home and Away character is leaving the Bay!

WARNING - THIS STORY CONTAINS SPOILERS!

Home and Away is about to lose one of its most beloved characters.

Lynne McGranger, who plays the iconic Irene Roberts, has revealed her plans to step away from the soap.

Irene first hit our screens in 1993, which makes her the second longest-running actor on the soap after original Ray Meagher who plays Alf Stewart.

But Lynne has revealed to TV Week her plans to leave Home and Away "indefinitely".

"Irene needs to get away…. Summer Bay isn't holding anything for her anymore, so there's a chance she may never come back."

According to reports, Irene reveals her big news to Ana Nicodemou's character Leah after the pair have a falling out.

News of Lynne's departure has been met with disbelief on Twitter, with one fan suggesting that the hiatus would not be indefinite.

'@LynneMcGranger is not leaving. The storyline was used to write her out for a month while she did panto in the UK. SHE WILL BE BACK.'

Fingers crossed the fan is right!