In a shocking twist on *Home and Away*, Irene finds herself at rock bottom and
far from Summer Bay after a horrific accident. After nine years of sobriety,
Irene’s life begins to spiral out of control when she relapses, struggling to cope
with the revelation that her terminally ill housemate, Brony, was a con artist. John first notices something wrong when he finds Irene kneeling over a dropped whiskey bottle. Though she agrees to attend an AA meeting, she convinces herself that she鈥檚 in control of her drinking and begins drinking openly, alarming friends like Leah and Marilyn.
Irene continues her destructive behavior, drinking secretly at home and even taking a hip flask to work. Leah becomes concerned when she notices Irene acting erratically and eventually confronts her after catching her in the pantry. Irene lashes out, refusing help, and isolates herself at home, where she continues drinking heavily.
Things take a dangerous turn when a drunken Irene tries to navigate the stairs and ends up falling, sustaining a head injury. She tries to cover up the accident, but Harper quickly realizes what happened and insists on taking her to the hospital. While Irene denies the severity of her drinking problem, the truth catches up with her when she鈥檚 caught sneaking alcohol in the hospital. It鈥檚 only then that Irene admits she needs help.
With the support of John and her friends, Irene decides to check into a rehab center. Before leaving, she says an emotional goodbye to Marilyn and Leah, promising to take care of herself. This marks the beginning of Irene’s departure from Summer Bay, as she seeks treatment far away from home. Viewers won鈥檛 see Irene again until April 2025, as actress Lynne McGranger takes a six-month break from the show.
