Kate Ritchie returns to Nova breakfast radio after six-month break
Kate Ritchie has made a welcome return to breakfast radio after six months off the airwaves.
The beloved radio personality returned to her co-hosting gig on Nova's Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie on Friday morning with co-hosts Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli and Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald excitedly announcing she was back in the studio.
'We've missed you, Kate. It's so good to have you back, mate, it really is,' Wipfli said on air. 'Sydney has missed you. I've had so many people stop me and say, 'How's Kate? When's she coming back. We miss Kate.''
'That is lovely,' Ritchie replied. 'And I have heard much the same.'
The former Home And Away star was last on radio in late January before announcing in a statement in early February that she was taking break from the show to focus on her mental health.
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Kate Ritchie makes surprise radio return
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Kate Ritchie makes surprise radio return
to...... more more the airwaves - and copped a roasting about her "six-month holiday"
The radio host finally made her return ... more
MORE: Rich Aussie radio stars' secret millions exposed
At the time, invasive paparazzi photos that showed Ritchie appearing distressed as she spoke on the phone in a park here published by tabloid outlet Daily Mail.
In her statement, Ritchie called out the paparazzi for their 'relentless stalking' of her.
'The images of me taken last week show that I wasn't OK on that day,' she wrote in her statement at the time. 'My struggle is not helped by the relentless stalking of the paparazzi, in fact they are making it much worse.'
'Due to their constant harassment, they significantly add pressure and make my recovery that much more difficult.'
Although upon her return she did not go into details about her time away from Nova HQ, Ritchie said it was good to be back, telling her co-hosts she was grateful for the hiatus.
'It is so good to be back and I didn't want to really like stop down and talk too much about everything. But I just have to say, in all honesty, I have felt such a gratitude,' she said.
'I'm not going to hit you with a hashtag blessed or anything like that, but I feel so incredibly grateful for the period of time I have had away from the studio and not only away from Nova, but away from lots of things.'
Kate Ritchie is back on air at Nova after six-month break.
Ritchie said the support from Nova from the top down has been 'amazing', and so has the support she received from strangers.
'The amount of people who have reached out to me over this period of time, and since earlier the year, has been absolutely mind-blowing for people to bother to actually say without being intrusive, 'Hey it's really nice to see you. Hope you're doing well. Can't wait to hear you back on the radio.''
For Ritchie, the time away was something she needed to do for herself, not anybody else.
'What has been the most important thing and the most different thing about things for me this time is that despite all of the support and the love that I feel, I didn't do it for anybody else, I did it for me,' she said.
Co-host Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald welcomed Ritchie back with open and arms and a back of jokes.
Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli joked it was nice to have Ritchie back after her 'six-month holiday'.
Wipfli and Fitzgerald shortly lightened the mood by playfully roasting Ritchie for her absence.
'To go on a six-month holiday … like Italy was great, you sent me photos from Indonesia, round-the-world trips,' Wipfli joked.
Ever the good sport, Ritchie replied, 'I've been everywhere, man. I've been everywhere.'
'No, it was very exciting to be back this morning. [Producer] Tommy [Ivey] met me in the car park in case somebody was parked in my spot because we didn't want to kick off with me having a tantrum down there,' she said,
'No, that's why you left last time,' Wipfli chimed in.
Ritchie said that there were so many changes made in the building since she left, from the carpet to a news glass door. But after some 'really awkward … small talk' as she made her way to the studio, she has nicely settled in again – albeit while battling a cold.
'The fact that you went and got a cold so you can fit in with the rest of the team, it's wonderful commitment to the team,' Wipfli told her.
Fitzy and Wippa address Kate Ritchie's absence
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Fitzy and Wippa address Kate Ritchie's absence
more more Ritchie taking leave from the show to deal with her mental health.
Her radio colleagues spoke out about...... ... more
Ritchie revealed that she 'nearly rushed back' sooner after seeing a series of worrying videos on Wipfli's Instagram Stories.
'I have to say, I think everything happens as it's meant to happen, and I love that I'm back here this morning,' she said. 'I've missed you and blah blah blah … but I was going to rush back a few weeks ago because I thought I was going to have to conduct a linguine intervention.'
'I was watching your socials thinking I've got to get back there because no one is looking after this guy,' she told Wipfli.
When he replied that 'someone has to stop this mouth,' Ritchie quipped, 'That includes the talking.'
The duo had Ritchie's back this past year. Picture: Justin Lloyd.
Jokes aside, Wipfli and Fitzgerald remained Ritchie's biggest supporters this past year.
They had her back when she stepped away from the show in January, saying at the time they respected her decision while also calling out the Daily Mail for publishing the photos of their 'beautiful colleague and close friend'.
'Thank you for all the calls and all the messages that we've received and Kate's been receiving,' Wipfli said on air in February 'We've all been chatting with her and checking in regularly. Mental illness is tough and what was portrayed in the media was not right. There was an option to help and that was not taken, rather it was filmed and sold for commercial purposes.'
Fitzgerald agreed, saying: 'What you saw last week, obviously visually she was very distressed.'
'In a time like that when you see someone who is visually struggling, like she was, our thought is to extend your arms and go over and try and support that person.
'Unfortunately, Kate felt like she wasn't supported, and now the whole world knows about it.'
Originally published as Kate Ritchie makes emotional return to radio after six-month break: 'Sydney has missed you'
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