Kate Ritchie Confirms No Plans to Return to Home and Away
Kate Ritchie, the 47-year-old actress best known for her role as Sally Fletcher on the long-running Australian soap opera Home and Away, has officially confirmed that she has no intention of returning to the show. The revelation came during a recent appearance on Nova 96.9's breakfast show, where she spoke candidly about her time on the series and her current career path.
Ritchie first rose to fame in 1988 when she joined the cast of Home and Away at just eight years old. She played Sally Fletcher for 20 years before leaving the show in 2008. Since then, there have been persistent rumors about a potential return, but Ritchie has now made it clear that this chapter of her life is closed.
During the Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie program, she said, “The show is doing so well, it doesn’t need Sally anymore.” She added that her character has a “nice life somewhere” and that while she still loves Home and Away, the show has moved on without her.
Despite her firm stance, Ritchie teased her co-hosts and listeners by saying she would return if asked—but quickly reversed herself. “That’s a chapter of my life that’s done,” she said.
Producers Have Reached Out, But She Has No Interest
Ritchie revealed that producers have reached out to her multiple times since she left the show 17 years ago, asking if she would be interested in making a return. However, she has consistently declined.
“I think I sat down maybe about five years ago and watched one episode, but I couldn’t bear seeing other people living in my house and sitting on my couch for a while,” she joked.
This isn’t the first time Ritchie has considered a return. Earlier in 2023, she told the Herald Sun that she was weighing the possibility of coming back. At the time, she said, “The idea of being back there and seeing everyone and working with all those actors again is not something I would not want to do, it is just whether it makes sense anymore.”
She also expressed uncertainty about whether her character would fit in with the newer residents of Summer Bay or still connect with fans. “All of the new viewers they have, half of them would not know who Sally is,” she said.
A Career Beyond the Soap
Since leaving Home and Away, Ritchie has focused on other ventures, particularly her radio career. She has become a prominent voice on Nova 96.9, co-hosting the popular breakfast show Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie. In addition to her work in radio, she has dabbled in acting, appearing in shows like Underbelly, Cops L.A.C., and the Seven miniseries The Claremont Murders.
Despite her success in radio, Ritchie has admitted that stepping away from Home and Away was difficult. She once said that it took her a long time to develop her own identity outside of her iconic role as Sally Fletcher. Even though she won two Gold Logies during her time on the show, she struggled with self-worth and questioned her value beyond her character.
Balancing Life and Work
Today, Ritchie is focused on her family and her career. She shares daughter Mae, 11, with her ex-husband Stuart Webb. While she continues to thrive in radio, she has no plans to return to television full-time.
“I have my work cut out for me and parenthood and life generally, let alone throwing another job,” she said.
For now, it seems that Sally Fletcher’s story has come to an end—both on and off screen.
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