Kate Ritchie | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Ritchie in 2012 | |
| Born | Katherine Leigh Ritchie |
| Alma mater | Hurlstone Agricultural High School |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television(2007 & 2008) —Home and Away |
Katherine Leigh Ritchie is an Australian actress,radio presenter, andchildren's author. She is best known for her long-running role as original characterSally Fletcher on the television soap operaHome and Away, for which she won twoGold Logie awards. She played the character for 20 years, appearing from the pilot episode in 1988 until 2008. She currently co-hostsNova FM's drive showFitzy, Wippa & Kate alongsideRyan Fitzgerald andMichael 'Wippa' Wipfli.[1] Ritchie was part ofNova FM's national drive show,Kate, Tim & Joel withTim Blackwell andJoel Creasey from 2014 until 2023.
Prior to her retirement fromHome and Away, she shared with fellow original cast membersRay Meagher andNorman Coburn the record for the longest continuous role in an Australian drama series. Following a five-year absence, Ritchie returned toHome and Away in 2013 for a short reprise of her role as Sally Fletcher to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the series. In addition to 20 years onHome and Away, Ritchie has also hosted various television events and appeared in commercials.
In 2022, Ritchie appeared as a judge on thetenth season ofAustralia's Got Talent. In 2023, she starred as Carol Spiers in7 Network's two-part crime drama seriesThe Claremont Murders, appearing oppositeErik Thomson, who played her husband.
Katherine Leigh Ritchie[citation needed] was born to parents Heather and Steve, and she has three younger siblings.[2][better source needed]
Ritchie attended Campbelltown North Public School andHurlstone Agricultural High School – the latter a New South Wales agricultural andselective school.[3]
Ritchie was cast as Molly, the child lead in the 1986Nine Network–PBL mini-seriesCyclone Tracy, starringChris Haywood andTracy Mann.[4] She started working withHome and Away in 1987, at age 8. Production began in July 1987 (shortly before her ninth birthday) and it premiered on theSeven Network on 17 January 1988.[citation needed] In 2006, Ritchie played "Nicole" in theABC filmStepfather of the Bride.[5] While promotingHome and Away in the United Kingdom in 2006 withMark Furze andJodi Gordon, Ritchie appeared onThe Friday Night Project andLoose Women, and appeared on interviews forFive andFive Life.[citation needed]
She was involved with theCampbelltown Musical Society.[6]
In 2006, Ritchie was a contestant on the celebrity singing competitionIt Takes Two, partnered withTroy Cassar-Daley. The pair placed fourth in the competition.[7] She co-hosted the second series ofIt Takes Two withGrant Denyer in 2007.[8] In 2007 Ritchie joinedNova radio to co-host the drive show with comedianAkmal Saleh, replacingMatthew Newton.[9] She was replaced in May by New Zealand comedianCal Wilson.[10]
In September 2007, Ritchie announced that she would be leavingHome and Away in mid-December.[11] Her final scenes were filmed on 13 December 2007,[12] 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.[13]
On 14 January 2008, Ritchie began work on theNova 96.9 breakfast show withMerrick & Rosso.[14] Shortly after the2008 Logie Awards, Ritchie did an interview withRove McManus onNetwork Ten, her first interview with another network since leavingHome and Away, and her first television appearance since leaving the show.[citation needed] On 16 October Ritchie appeared on pay-TV, on theMerrick & Rosso Show.[citation needed]
In November, it was revealed that Ritchie would appear in the second series ofUnderbelly, as Judi Kane, the wife of slain 1970s standover man Les Kane.[15] The series screened in 2009. This was her first TV drama role since leavingHome and Away.[citation needed] Throughout 2009, Ritchie continued her radio role on theMerrick & Rosso and Kate Ritchie Show.[citation needed]
In 2009 Ritchie became the face ofVaseline.[16]
On 10 November 2009, Ritchie announced she would be leaving Nova 96.9's breakfast team and returning to acting.[17] In January 2010 it was announced that Ritchie had been cast with a lead role in Nine's new police dramaCops L.A.C. The series did not rate well and was cancelled after the season finale.[citation needed]
In 2012, Ritchie narrated the Australian version of the reality seriesDon't Tell the Bride, which aired on Network Ten. In early 2013, it was announced that Ritchie was returning toHome & Away, reprising her role as Sally Fletcher.[18][19]
In 2013, Ritchie announced via Twitter that she would be hosting theNova FM drive show with Tim Blackwell and Marty Sheargold in 2014, following the departure ofMeshel Laurie, who went on to hostBreakfast onNova 100 inMelbourne.[citation needed] In 2015 the team won Best Networked Program at theAustralian Commercial Radio Awards, and the Best On Air team in both 2016 and 2017.[citation needed]
In 2016 Ritchie released a children's book illustrated by Hannah Sommerville calledI 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.[20]
Ritchie was to host the retrospective 50th anniversary ofPlay School in July 2016.[citation needed]
In June 2021, Ritchie was announced to be a judge forNicole Scherzinger on thetenth season ofAustralia's Got Talent alongside returning judgeShane Jacobson, andBritain's Got Talent judgesAlesha Dixon andDavid Walliams.[21][22]
In 2023, it was announced that Ritchie would be permanently departing her Nova radio showKate, Tim & Joel after being absence for some time.[23] It was later revealed that she would join Fitzy & Wippa and co-hostFitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie from March 2023.[24][25][26] It was also announced that singer-songwriter and television presenter Ricki-Lee Coulter would replace Ritchie onRicki-Lee, Tim & Joel.[27][28][29]
After some years absent from the small screen, in 2023, Ritchie returned in theSeven Network drama seriesThe 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 oppositeErik Thomson.[30][31][32]
On 18 July 2024, Ritchie was named for ABC factual seriesThe Role of a Lifetime.[33]
In February 2026, Ritchie will return to co-hosting Nova's national drive program whenFitzy, Wippa & Kate moves from Nova 96.9 breakfast to national drive.[34]
Ritchie became engaged toStuart Webb, arugby league player forSt George Illawarra Dragons, in September 2009.[35] They married on 25 September 2010 in an outdoor wedding atQuamby Estate inTasmania.[36] Their daughter was born in 2014.[37]
In November 2019, Stuart Webb agreed to anAVO, which was applied for by a police constable on behalf of Ritchie following a domestic incident on 17 October.[38] The AVO prevented 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, Ritchie was caughtdrink driving with alcohol level of 0.06, and was suspended from driving for three months.[40]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Cyclone Tracy | Molly | Miniseries |
| 1988–2008, 2013 | Home and Away | Sally Fletcher | Pilot TV film, Seasons 1–21 (main role) Season 26 (recurring role) |
| 2003 | Home and Away: Hearts Divided | Direct-to-video special | |
| 2006 | Stepfather of the Bride | Nicole | TV film |
| 2007 | Mere Oblivion | Sonia | Short film |
| 2009 | Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities | Judy Kane | Season 2, Episodes 4 & 5 |
| 2010 | Cops L.A.C. | Samantha Cooper | Season 1 (main role, 13 episodes) |
| 2013 | Mr & Mrs Murder | Celeste Doyle | Season 1, episode 2 |
| 2013 | It's a Date | Zara | Season 1, episode 4 |
| 2023 | The Claremont Murders | Carol Spiers | Miniseries (2 episodes) |
| 2025 | The Role of a Lifetime | Mum | 5 episodes |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Australia's Got Talent | Herself | Judge |
| 2012 | Don't Tell The Bride | Narrator | Reality TV series |
| 2010–2011 | Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation | Contestant / Surprise Guest | 2 episodes |
| 2009 | The 23rd Annual ARIA Music Awards | Co-host | Co-hosted withGyton Grantley |
| 2007–2009 | Carols in the Domain | Co-host | Co-hosted annually withGrant Denyer for 3 years |
| 2006–2007 | It Takes Two | Herself | Contestant (2006); Co-host (2007) |
| 2002 | The Best of Aussie Drama | Host | TV documentary |
| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Logie Awards | Silver Logie Award for Most Popular Actress | Home and Away (Season 18) | Won | |
| Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television | Nominated | ||||
| 2007 | Silver Logie Award for Most Popular Actress | Home and Away (Season 19) | Won | ||
| Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television | Won | ||||
| 2008 | Silver Logie Award for Most Popular Actress | Home and Away (Season 20) | Won | ||
| Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television | Won | ||||
| 2009 | Silver Logie Award for Most Popular Actress | Home and Away (Season 21) | Nominated | ||
| Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television | Nominated | ||||
| AFI Awards | Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama | Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities(Episode 4) | Nominated |
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Gold Logie Award Most Popular Personality on Australian Television 2007 –2008 forHome and Away | Succeeded by |