Sally Fletcher became an unforgettable figure on Summer Bay, with Kate Ritchie taking on the iconic role at the tender age of eight.
Quickly turning into a beloved character on the Australian soap favoured by Irish viewers for years, she took centre stage from her first appearance in 1986 and remained one of its longest-serving characters until 2013.
Here's a sneak peek into her life post-Home and Away.
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Kate, born on August 14th, 1978, in Goulburn, New South Wales, transitioned smoothly from a child actor to hosting children's TV.
Her departure from Home and Away came just ahead of welcoming her daughter, Mae Webb, who arrived on August 14th, 2014, perfectly timed close to her mother's birthday.
Speaking with The Australian Women’s Weekly, Kate opened up about her profound love for motherhood, considering it her ultimate purpose in life.
During a chat on The Morning Show with hosts Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies back in 2015, she gushed over her little girl, saying: "I think she's divine, she's the greatest achievement I've ever had and she's wonderful."
Mae's arrival was celebrated with Kate's then-partner, rugby ace Stuart Webb, whom she started seeing in 2008. Despite their romantic beginnings, according to Australian media outlets they later separated.
Kate has refuted these claims and addressed the speculations in 2018 after she and her partner were not spotted together or active about each other on social media for several years.
"Yes, of course it is wrong. Yes, of course it is baseless. But I don't want to say any more about it because I know that if I do then it will breathe life into it again and I don't want to do that," Kate remarked.
"I have had to learn not to let it affect. So I consciously refuse to let it affect me," she shared with The Australian Women's Weekly.
They married after getting engaged in 2009, opting for an intimate ceremony on the stunning grounds of Tasmania's Quamby Estate.
When it comes to personal updates, particularly concerning her daughter Mae, she's quite open with her followers.
However, Katie keeps most aspects of her personal life under wraps, including her romantic life.
Katie rocks the airwaves as a valuable part of the Nova FM drive team alongside her co-hosts Tim Blackwell and Joel Creasey.
Besides radio, Kate's penned a collection of successful children's books and cookbooks, besides reading tales to tots on ABC network's Play School Story Time. .
Not just a radio and TV personality, Kate is also smashing it in the sponsorship game with high-profile partnerships with QV Skincare and Jockey Underwear.
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