Not even shouting “stone the flamin’ crows!” could accurately reflect how the entire nation is feeling right now.
Lately, we’ve found our jaw-dropping for the oddest reasons.
Dean Wells doesn’t believe he’s a cheater, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston are single at the same time… And Barnaby Joyce actually had an affair with a willing participant.
Yet here we are shocked yet again again with the revelation Home and Away’s Alf Stewart aka Ray Meagher has released a hot sauce line.
^Alf knocking us out!
Why the flamin’ heck hot sauce?
We’re not dreaming! This is a new reality.
Upon hearing about Ray Meagher’s latest venture, Now To Love knew we had to speak to the 73-year-old Gold Logie winner… And boy did we have a scorcher of a chat!
The actor, who speaks just like his on-screen persona, explained to us why he’s dipping his toe into the sauce market.
“Look really it was one statistic. It was that 60% of small businesses in Australia are not online or do not have a website,” Ray, who has teamed up with GoDaddy, told us.
Giving a good hard think about what sort of business he’d like, Ray went back to his childhood.
“I’ve loved hot sauce since I was a kid, going right back to Holbrook’s Worcestershire Sauce 60 years ago. I graduated to chili sauce and other things.”
He really is a man after our own hearts!
“When this came up I thought, well why not?”
Before adding, “Ray’s Flamin’ Hot Sauce… A no brainer.”
We couldn’t agree more!
The veteran Aussie actor made us chuckle when he shared his experience creating the website.
“It was so flamin’ easy to build my site on GoDaddy. You just go on and follow the bouncing ball and punch free website.”
You can judge his work here.
Does it have the Home and Away tick of approval?
We had to find out who has tried the goods and in a plot twist nowhere near as surprising as Ailsa being killed off by lifting heavy boxes, the bottles of spicy goodness are selling like hotcakes!
Laughing, he told us, “Some of the [cast] have [tried it], but I just got a hold of a supply.”
“There are a few lucky ones who got their hands on a bottle.”
Adding, “Don’t you worry, I’ll be burning the mouths of the people in Summer Bay very soon!”
What’s happening to Alf Stewart on Home and Away this year?
Ray Meagher may throw out a “flamin’ hell” every five minutes, but he’s remarkably tight-lipped when it comes down to what’s happening to his character Alf Stewart on this year’s season of Home and Away.
From all the Channel Seven promos, we know something huge is in the works for the beloved Summer Bay resident, with many fans even speculating he might be killed off.
“It’s a fantastic time, really! It has been a really big year – For any show to reach 30 years is absolutely amazing and for one character to be there since the start is also amazing.”
He continued, “In terms of how I’m handling it – I’m going with the flow. I’m loving every minute of it and being in a show that’s so successful is brilliant.”
“Having been there since the start, I’ve seen so many wonderful people come and go. It’s all been amazing.”
Ray’s been on the show since its 1988 premiere.
Ray also touched on the co-stars that have impacted his career.
“There’s not one person,” he began.
“But there’s half a dozen of the people that are gone,” he shared before naming, “Kate Ritchie, Judy Nunn, Norman Coburn and Cornelia Frances.”
Making us laugh he dubbed the OG crew, “The oldies!”
With his former on-screen love Ailsa, played by Judy Nunn.
Give us a cuddle Alf!
But what does this mean for Alf Stewart?!
One thing is certain – don’t expect him to become a full-time hot sauce spruiker.
When we asked him if he’d be opening up a restaurant or a pop-up, he quipped, “Oh look I’m a bit busy at the moment.”
Keeping us on our toes, he added: “But you never know! I’m just happy that all the proceeds are going to charity.”
To get your hands on Ray’s Flaming Hot Sauce – head right this way.
