After 20 years on Aussie TV screens, Summer Bay is set to get its first full-time gay character, media reports have revealed.

Seven’s long-running soap Home And Away will have its first gay character who’s set to be revealed to audiences in the coming months.

B&T has approached Seven for comment, however, it’s unclear exactly what the role will be or which actor has landed the role.

Home And Away has long been criticised for the lack of diversity among its predominately white and attractive cast members.

That said, the show’s writers have dabbled with the idea of same-sex relationships in previous episodes, but only in a fleeting way.

Commenting on the introduction of a gay character, the actor Ray Meagher (who plays Alf Stewart in the series) told entertainment site Digital Spy he was excited about a gay character in the show.

“Our writers do try to keep abreast with the times, so there is an interesting character coming in,” he said. “I won’t tell you too much more about him, about how he works out or what happens, but that is being addressed. And we’re all very pleased about it, by the way!”