Fans of Home and Away have been waiting for a familiar voice to return and now, at long last, she’s back in the spotlight. After a stretch away from the microphone, the much-loved star has stepped back into the public eye, and the story behind her return has been months in the making.
Time Away For Herself
Earlier this year, Kate Ritchie, forever remembered by Home and Away fans as Sally Fletcher and adored by Sydney listeners for her work on Nova’s breakfast show, stunned audiences by announcing she was taking a break. In February, she told followers on Instagram that she was dealing with mental health challenges that had proved “a bigger challenge” than she expected.
Kate explained that she had chosen to step away from the show and her team to focus on her health. She made it clear how much she appreciated the people supporting her through such a difficult chapter and gave heartfelt thanks to Nova for standing by her. The post was filled with love for her colleagues and fans, signing off with a simple but sincere “I love you.” Since then, Kate kept a low profile, and avoided public appearances.
Home and Away: A Warm Studio Reunion
That question was answered on Friday, when Kate walked back into the Nova studio to join Michael “Wippa” Wipfli and Ryan “Fitzy” Fitzgerald on air. Wipfli told listeners that they had missed her and said it felt so good to have her back. He added that Sydney and fans had been asking about her constantly to find out when she would return.
Kate responded live on air, saying it was “so good” to be back and admitted she felt “incredibly grateful” for the time off. It was a much-needed and she also reappeared on Instagram for the first time in months. She even joked that so much had changed on the platform that it had taken her an hour to get the post up.
Back In The Groove
Kate chose to prioritise her wellbeing over the demands of her career. Her openness about stepping away has only strengthened her connection with fans. Now that she has reclaimed her seat in the Nova studio alongside Wipfli and Fitzgerald, she’s ready to bring back the lively chemistry and banter that listeners have missed.
Now that her first post is back on social media, it looks like she’s also ready to reconnect with her followers online. For listeners, seeing Kate back at work is like having an old friend walk back into the room. Stay tuned to Soap Opera Daily for all the latest Home and Away and soap news.