She was married to Scottish stage and film actor Russell Hunter from 1991 until his death in 2004.
McLean trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and began her career at the Byre Theatre in St Andrews in 1955.
McLean has appeared in many pantomimes in Scotland, often starring opposite Jimmy Logan and with Stanley Baxter.
She starred in Jack and the Beanstalk alongside Jimmy Logan in his last pantomime appearance at King's Theatre, Glasgow as Wondergran, a show that also featured Alyson McInnes, John Ramage, and Euan McIver.
[3] In 2009 she began playing the role of Molly O'Hara in the BBC One Scotland soap opera River City.