Prior to her retirement from Home and Away, she shared with fellow original cast members Ray Meagher and Norman Coburn the record (recognised by Guinness World Records) for the longest continuous role in an Australian drama series.[1] After a five-year absence, Ritchie returned to Home and Away in 2013 for a short reprise of her role as Sally Fletcher to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the series.[2] In addition to 20 years on Home and Away, Ritchie has also hosted various television events and appeared in commercials, a mini-series and an Australian film. She has also been involved with the Campbelltown Musical Society.[3]
Ritchie was born to parents Heather and Steve, and she has three younger siblings, Rebekah, Stuart and Susan.[4] Ritchie attended Campbelltown North Public School and Hurlstone Agricultural High School – the latter a New South Wales agricultural and selective school.[5]
In 2006, Ritchie was a contestant on the celebrity singing competition It Takes Two, partnered with Troy Cassar-Daley. The pair placed fourth in the competition.[8] She co-hosted the second series of It Takes Two with Grant Denyer in 2007.[9] In 2007 Ritchie joined Nova radio to co-host the drive show with comedian Akmal Saleh, replacing Matthew Newton.[10] She was replaced in May by New Zealand comedian Cal Wilson.[11]
In September 2007, Ritchie announced that she would be leaving Home and Away in mid-December.[12] Her final scenes were filmed on 13 December 2007,[13] and she last appeared on Australian screens as Sally Fletcher on 3 April 2008, with her final episode being screened on UK terrestrial television on 12 May 2008.[14]
On 14 January 2008, Ritchie began work on the Nova 96.9 breakfast show with Merrick & Rosso.[15] Shortly after the 2008 Logie Awards Ritchie did an interview with Rove McManus on Network Ten, her first interview with another network since leaving Home and Away, and her first television appearance since leaving the show. On 16 October Ritchie appeared on pay-TV, on The Merrick & Rosso Show.
In November, it was revealed that Ritchie would appear in the second series of Underbelly, as Judi Kane, the wife of slain 1970s standover man Les Kane.[16] The series screened in 2009. This was her first TV drama role since leaving Home and Away. Throughout 2009, Ritchie continued her radio role on the Merrick & Rosso and Kate Ritchie Show.
In 2009 Ritchie became the face of Vaseline.[17] It was announced on 7 November 2009 that Ritchie would host the 2009 ARIA Awards on 26 November, alongside actor and fellow Underbelly cast member Gyton Grantley.[citation needed]
Ritchie in 2012
On 10 November 2009, Ritchie announced she would be leaving Nova 96.9's breakfast team and returning to acting.[18] In January 2010 it was announced that Ritchie had been cast with a lead role in Nine's new police drama Cops L.A.C. The series did not rate well and was cancelled after the season finale.
In 2012, Ritchie narrated the Australian version of the reality series Don't Tell the Bride, which aired on Ch-10. In early 2013, it was announced that Ritchie was returning to Home & Away, reprising her role as Sally Fletcher.[19][20]
In 2013, Ritchie announced via Twitter that she would be hosting the Nova FM drive show with Tim Blackwell and Marty Sheargold in 2014, following the departure of Meshel Laurie, who went on to host Breakfast on Nova 100 in Melbourne.[citation needed]The show won three major ACRA awards. In 2015 the team won Best Networked Program at the Australian Commercial Radio Awards, and the Best On Air team in both 2016 and 2017.
On 25 November 2015, Ritchie became the Godmother of the Cruise liner Pacific Eden, which is from the P&O Fleet.
In 2016 Ritchie released a children's book illustrated by Hannah Sommerville called I Just Couldn't Wait To Meet You. Her second book, It's Not Scribble to Me, was illustrated by Jedda Robaard and published by Random House Australia in 2018.[21]
In June 2016 Ritchie was announced as the brand ambassador for QV Skincare.
Ritchie was to host the retrospective 50th anniversary of Play School in July 2016.
In 2023, it was announced that Ritchie would be permanently departing her Nova radio show Kate, Tim & Joel after being absence for some time.[24] It was later revealed that she would join Fitzy & Wippa and co-host Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie from March 2023.[25][26][27] It was also announced that singer-songwriter and television presenter Ricki-Lee Coulter would replace Ritchie on Ricki-Lee, Tim & Joel.[28][29][30]
After some years absent from the small screen, in 2023, Ritchie returned in the Seven Network drama series The Claremont Murders, based on real serial killings that took place in Western Australia, and starred as Carol Spiers, the mother of Sarah Spiers, and appeared opposite Erik Thomson.[31][32][33]
On 18 July 2024, Ritchie was named for ABC factual series The Role of a Lifetime.[34]
Personal life
Ritchie started dating St George Illawara Dragons player Stuart Webb in 2008.[citation needed] On 9 September 2009, it was announced that they were engaged.[35] On 25 September 2010 Ritchie married Webb in a countryside outdoor wedding at Quamby Estate[36] in Tasmania.
On 17 August 2014, Ritchie gave birth to a daughter.[37]
On 7 November 2019, Stuart Webb agreed to an AVO which was applied for by a police constable on behalf of Ritchie following a domestic incident on 17 October.[38] The AVO prevents Webb from stalking, intimidating, assaulting or threatening, as well as approaching or being in the company of Ritchie "for at least 12 hours after drinking alcohol or taking illicit drugs".[39]
In August 2022, she was caught drink driving with alcohol level of 0.06. She was suspended from driving for 3 months.[40]
Nova 96.9 is a commercial radio station operating in Sydney, Australia.
The Nova Network is a group of Australian radio stations owned wholly or in part by Nova Entertainment. The Perth station is a joint venture between Nova Entertainment and ARN.
Rebecca June Hewitt is an Australian actress, television presenter and singer. From 1998 to 2005, Hewitt played Hayley Smith Lawson on the soap opera Home and Away. As Bec Cartwright, Hewitt released an eponymous pop music album in 2002. In 2005, she married professional tennis player Lleyton Hewitt.
Merrick and Rosso were an Australian comedy duo active from 1996 to 2009, composed of Merrick Watts (Merrick) and Tim Ross (Rosso). The duo began in stand up comedy, and first came together when they teamed up for what was intended to be a one-off comedy show in 1996. They are best known for their syndicated radio programs, TV shows, stand up comedy tours, comedy DVDs and books.
Merrick Watts is an Australian comedian, radio and television presenter. He is best known for performing stand-up comedy and radio works as part of the comedy duo Merrick and Rosso with Tim Ross.
Timothy Jonathon Ross is an Australian comedian, radio host, writer and television presenter. He began his career performing stand-up comedy with Merrick Watts as part of the duo Merrick and Rosso. He is now better known as the presenter of the ABC shows Streets of Your Town and Designing a Legacy, which reflect his personal enthusiasm for design and architecture.
Ricki-Lee Dawn Coulter is a New Zealander-Australian singer and songwriter. She was born in Auckland, New Zealand, raised in Gold Coast, Queensland, and began performing at age 15. Coulter rose to fame in 2004 on the second season of Australian Idol and placed seventh in the competition. She subsequently signed with Australian independent label Shock Records, and released her self-titled debut album Ricki-Lee (2005), which produced the top-ten hits "Hell No!" and "Sunshine". Both singles were certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). The following year, Coulter became a member of the Australian pop girl group Young Divas, before leaving in early 2007 to resume her solo career.
Leeanna Walsman is an Australian actress. She is best known for her role as Zam Wesell in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002), and for her roles in the 2000 film Looking for Alibrandi and the television series Wentworth. She was nominated for both AACTA and Logie awards for her role in Emmy Award-winning series Safe Harbour.
Ryan James Fitzgerald is an Australian radio personality, television presenter, comedian and former Australian rules footballer. After being drafted from the South Adelaide Football Club, he made his Australian Football League debut for Sydney in 2000, before being traded to Adelaide, where he played eight games in 2002. Fitzgerald appeared as a contestant in Big Brother Australia 2004, beginning a wider media career in television on Channel 10's Saturday night AFL show Before The Game.
Simone Jade Mackinnon is an Australian actress. She is best known for her role as Allie Reese on Baywatch Hawaii (1999–2000) and Stevie Hall on McLeod's Daughters (2003–2009).
Thomas Williams is an Australian television personality and radio presenter.
Bridie Carter is an Australian actress best known for her role as the main character of Tess Silverman McLeod on the television drama series McLeod's Daughters.
Martin Donald Sheargold is an Australian stand-up comedian and radio broadcaster.
Australia's Got Talent is an Australian reality television talent show. The show is based on the Got Talent series format that originated in the United Kingdom with Simon Cowell.
The Merrick & Rosso Show is an Australian comedy television series which aired on The Comedy Channel, with its first broadcast on 2 October 2008. It was hosted by Tim Ross and Merrick Watts, who were better known as comedy duo Merrick and Rosso. At the time of their broadcast, they also presented a breakfast radio show is broadcast on Nova 96.9.
Fitzy and Wippa with Kate Ritchie is an Australian breakfast radio show on Nova 96.9 in Sydney, Australia. It is hosted by comedians Ryan "Fitzy" Fitzgerald, Michael "Wippa" Wipfli and Kate Ritchie. The show airs in Sydney from 6 am to 9 am on weekday mornings with music and daily topic discussions and special guests.
Ricki-Lee, Tim & Joel is an Australian drive radio show with Ricki-Lee Coulter, Tim Blackwell and Joel Creasey. It is broadcast on Nova FM from 4pm to 6pm on weekdays.
Michael "Wippa" Wipfli is an Australian radio presenter and comedian who is a co-host on the Nova 96.9 breakfast show Fitzy and Wippa with Kate Ritchie alongside Ryan Fitzgerald and Kate Ritchie.
The Dan & Maz Show was an Australian breakfast radio show with Dan Debuf and Maz Compton.
Timothy Blackwell is an Australian radio broadcaster. Blackwell is currently part of Nova FM's #1 national drive show, Ricki-Lee, Tim & Joel with Ricki-Lee Coulter and Joel Creasey.
References
↑ Yeaman, Simon, "Kate and Bay belong together", The Advertiser, 2 July 2005
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