Latest news with #Fitzy&Wippa
7NEWS
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- 7NEWS
Former Home and Away star Kate Ritchie makes emotional return to Nova radio after six-month mental health break
Radio host Kate Ritchie made her much-anticipated return to the airwaves today after a six-month mental health break. The former Home And Away star was visibly emotional as she rejoined her co-hosts Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli and Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald on their Nova radio show on Friday morning. 'We've missed you, Kate. It's so good to have you back, mate, it really is,' Wipfli said on Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie. '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.'' Ritchie announced in February she was taking a break from the show. At the time, The Daily Mail had published photos of Ritchie on the phone looking distressed. The mum-of-one called out the paparazzi for invading her privacy, bravely revealing the toll it had taken on her health. 'I struggle with mental health issues at times, which are deeply personal,' Ritchie said on Instagram. 'This has proven to be a bigger challenge than I imagined. 'So, I have decided to take a break from the show and the team, who I love, to focus on my health.' Speaking today on-air about her return, Ritchie revealed she was overcome with gratitude by all of the support she has received. 'The amount of people who have reached out to me over this period of time, and since earlier in the year, has been absolutely mind-blowing,' Ritchie said. 'So if you're listening and you were one of those people that reached out, or stopped me in the street. 'Or even just smiled at me over the tomatoes in Harris Farm. 'For people to bother to actually say, without being intrusive, 'Hey, it's really nice to see you, hope you're doing well. I can't wait to hear you back on the radio' ... 'Thank you for bothering, because I read all of those messages and they made all the difference.' Ritchie added kindness is what kept her going during this challenging time. 'Despite all of the support and the love I feel, I didn't do it for anyone else — I did it for me,' Ritchie shared. She paid special thanks to her co-hosts and the wider Nova team, 'I love you guys and I have always loved this job.' In true Fitzy and Wippa style, her co-hosts joked Ritchie had passed her audition and that they would love to have her back on the show. Gold Logie winner and former Home And Away co-star Lynne McGranger commented on Ritchie's return on Instagram. 'So good to see you back Kate. Much love honey,' McGranger said. Ritchie starred on Home And Away as Sally Fletcher for two decades, from 1988 to 2008, and won two Gold Logie awards for her performance. She briefly reprised the role in 2013 for the show's anniversary. Most recently, she starred in The Claremont Murders in 2023 on the Seven Network.
Courier-Mail
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Courier-Mail
Kate Ritchie returns to Nova breakfast radio after six-month break
Don't miss out on the headlines from Entertainment. Followed categories will be added to My News. 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. Never miss the latest entertainment news from Australia and around the world — download the app direct to your phone. Kate Ritchie makes surprise radio return Video Player is loading. Play Video This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. X Learn More Loaded : 21.40% 0:00 Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. 00:46 SUBSCRIBER ONLY 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 Video Player is loading. Play Video This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. X Learn More Loaded : 15.13% 0:00 00:00 / 00:00 Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. 01:05 SUBSCRIBER ONLY 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'
Perth Now
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
‘Time is irrelevant in love': Dr Chris Brown opens up about new relationship
The Ambassador for Dream Home Art Union reveals the $13 million beachside property on offer in the biggest prize home lottery in Australian history. Vet turned TV host Dr Chris Brown confirmed today that he was officially off the market. Brown has revealed he is dating Queensland TV publicist Lorraine Monforte and that she has already met his family. The notoriously private Dancing with the Stars co-host has always remained tight-lipped when it comes to his dating life. But this morning, Brown revealed he was very 'happy' in his new relationship. Speaking on Nova 96.9's Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie show, Brown tried his best to dodge questions about his new love interest. 'You guys are so fixated on my happiness, but also my personal life,' Brown quipped. After exchanging laughs, the host asked: 'Is her name Lorraine?' To which Brown confirmed: 'Yes, it is Lorraine.' Dr Chris Brown is dating TV publicist Lorraine Monforte. Credit: Supplied/Instagram The new couple posted separate photos from a recent trip to Finland. Credit: Instagram It's believed Brown met Monforte when they worked together at the network. The TV host, long considered one of Australia's most eligible bachelors, uploaded videos from his winter holiday to Finland in March. Though Monforte didn't make an appearance in the posts, she shared her own photos from Finland at the same time — her Instagram account is private. Brown didn't reveal how long they had been dating and refused to answer questions about their first kiss. But he did mention 'love'. 'Time is irrelevant in love, it just drifts,' Brown joked. Before today, Brown has rarely spoken publicly about personal details in his life. My Reno Rules host Dr Chris Brown on Sunrise. Credit: 7NEWS Dr Chris Brown and Sonia Kruger, hosts of Dancing of the Stars, will be on the TV Week Logie Awards red carpet. Credit: Seven/Jeremy Greive But in an interview with Stellar magazine in May 2024, the TV personality opened up about fatherhood. 'I would still like to have kids — I still feel that's very much a priority,' Brown, who was single at the time, said. 'Would I like to have done something about that in the last five years? Probably. But it hasn't worked out that way. 'If it hasn't happened naturally and I'm not a dad yet, then I'm OK with that. I'm not worried. 'I feel like it will happen when it happens. 'The last thing I want to do is force it and end up in a situation where I feel like I've rushed it. 'But, yeah, I'm taking my sweet time.' Brown will join forces with TV host Sonia Kruger this Sunday to host the TV WEEK Logie Awards red carpet.
7NEWS
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- 7NEWS
Dr Chris Brown confirms new relationship with glamorous TV publicist who already has his family's approval
Vet turned TV host Dr Chris Brown confirmed today that he was officially off the market. Brown has revealed he is dating Queensland TV publicist Lorraine Monforte and that she has already met his family. The notoriously private Dancing with the Stars co-host has always remained tight-lipped when it comes to his dating life. But this morning, Brown revealed he was very 'happy' in his new relationship. Speaking on Nova 96.9's Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie show, Brown tried his best to dodge questions about his new love interest. 'You guys are so fixated on my happiness, but also my personal life,' Brown quipped. After exchanging laughs, the host asked: 'Is her name Lorraine?' To which Brown confirmed: 'Yes, it is Lorraine.' It's believed Brown met Monforte when they worked together at the network. The TV host, long considered one of Australia's most eligible bachelors, uploaded videos from his winter holiday to Finland in March. Though Monforte didn't make an appearance in the posts, she shared her own photos from Finland at the same time — her Instagram account is private. Brown didn't reveal how long they had been dating and refused to answer questions about their first kiss. But he did mention 'love'. 'Time is irrelevant in love, it just drifts,' Brown joked. Before today, Brown has rarely spoken publicly about personal details in his life. But in an interview with Stellar magazine in May 2024, the TV personality opened up about fatherhood. 'I would still like to have kids — I still feel that's very much a priority,' Brown, who was single at the time, said. 'Would I like to have done something about that in the last five years? Probably. But it hasn't worked out that way. 'If it hasn't happened naturally and I'm not a dad yet, then I'm OK with that. I'm not worried. 'I feel like it will happen when it happens. 'The last thing I want to do is force it and end up in a situation where I feel like I've rushed it. 'But, yeah, I'm taking my sweet time.' Brown will join forces with TV host Sonia Kruger this Sunday to host the TV WEEK Logie Awards red carpet.
Daily Mail
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Nova stars Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald and Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli reveal their show may soon be cancelled - following Kate Ritchie's departure: 'We've got to hang up the mic'
Nova radio stars Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli and Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald have hinted their long-running breakfast show may be coming to an end. Fitzy, 48, made the shock admission on their show on Tuesday morning, saying the co-hosts' contracts with Nova may not be renewed by the end of the year. During a discussion about the program's future, Fitzy said: 'I don't think they are being renewed. I'm gonna miss it, but we gotta hang up the mic at some stage.' The long-running breakfast show premiered in January 2011, with actress Kate Ritchie joining the programme as co-host in March 2023. Daily Mail has reached out to Nova Entertainment for comment. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Fitzy and Wippa, 45, have been without their co-host Kate, 46, since the start of the year after she took time off to deal with personal issues. Despite Kate not appearing on the show since late January, it is still promoted as Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie on Nova's website and social media. Last month, a segment on the program fuelled more speculation the Home and Away star was not returning to the show. Fitzy and Wippa shared some details about their annual Singles Party, but there was one glaring omission. The duo revealed they would host the ball for the singles of Sydney, but made no mention of whether their absent co-star Kate would be attending. 'It's back, Fitzy, Wippa and Kate Ritchie's Singles Party returns! One night, one room, 100 chances to find the one,' a promo played on the station said. Co-host Wippa then chatted to Kate's fill-in presenter Chrissie Swan about the event, and said it would be a great night aboard a luxurious yacht on Sydney Harbour. 'Chrissie, last year you weren't even there! You are not going to believe it, before the Slow Dance took place, a couple already held hands and wandered off because they were having such a good time together,' Wippa began. 'This is the power of the Singles Party and it is back again for 2025, bigger and better!' Veteran presenter Fitzy then jumped in to discuss how diverse the event would be, but failed to mention if Kate would be attending. There has been ongoing speculation over when she'll return to co-host Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie on Nova 96.9 following her sudden departure in January after a troubling public incident in a Sydney park. Kate's Instagram bio doesn't mention Nova anymore; instead she is simply 'actor, radio and broadcaster', which may point to her making a quiet exit. Kate has been receiving ongoing support at a rehabilitation facility since the incident, which saw her photographed in tears and appearing visibly distressed shortly after picking up daughter Mae from school. At the time of Kate's departure, Nova's co-hosts had promised their audience the absent Kate would return after one day off, but that timeline was soon dropped. Nova has remained tight-lipped on any potential comeback date and did not respond to questions about whether the embattled star had continued to receive pay during her absence.
