Kate Ritchie announces break from radio show amid ‘deeply personal’ mental health issues​on February 3, 2025 at 3:20 am

Australian actor and presenter Kate Ritchie has confirmed she is taking a break from hosting her Nova Sydney breakfast radio show amid “mental health issues” which she said were exacerbated by the “relentless stalking” of paparazzi in the past week.

In a statement posted to Instagram, Ritchie – who hosts Nova’s breakfast radio program with Ryan “Fitzy” Fitzgerald and Michael “Wippa” Wipfli – said recent mental health struggles had “proven to be a bigger challenge” than imagined.

“I have decided to take a break from the show and the team who I love, to focus on my health,” Ritchie said. “I want to thank all of those who are helping me through this very difficult time. I love you. Thank you, Nova, for being there when I need you.”

Ritchie didn’t offer further details on the “deeply personal” challenges she was facing, or share a potential timeline for her return to radio.

The announcement follows several days of absence from the show, prompting media speculation of a potential departure from Nova after the Daily Mail published photographs late last week showing Ritchie looking distressed while sitting in a Sydney park.

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Ritchie’s agent, Mark Morrissey, and her manager, Erin Keneally, were then spotted leaving Ritchie’s home on Friday afternoon, as rumours of an exit from Nova swirled.

Ritchie addressed the photographs in her statement on Monday, noting the images showed she “wasn’t OK on that day”.

“My struggle is not helped by the relentless stalking of me by the paparazzi, in fact they are making it much worse,” Ritchie wrote. “Due to their constant harassment, they significantly add pressure and make my recovery that much more difficult.