Kate Ritchie grew up in front of our eyes as Sally Fletcher on iconic Aussie soap Home And Away, and now the actress has opened up on the experience.
Appearing on The Project on October 30, Ritchie discussed the issue of teenage body image and drew on her own experiences on the set of the soap.
“I have to admit it was pretty awful at times but after 30 years I am so used to people commenting on my body,” the actor-turned-radio-host revealed.
Kate appeared on the series for twenty years, between 1988–2008.
Ritchie told the panel, “I’m sure this isn’t too crass, but I kind of grew overnight and I’ve had people since then, I go and buy sausages at the butcher or I go to the hairdresser and people tell me they remember the day when Sally Fletcher grew breasts.”
The 40-year-old mum of one previously told The Herald Sun that her move from television to radio was partly to rid herself of her Sally Fletcher label.
“Of course, I know I got the job on Merrick and Rosso because I was that girl from Home and Away. I think to start with I had planned to have a break and give everybody a break from me but I’m not sure that has happened. Instead it has been 10 years of reshaping this career of mine,” she said.
Kate and husband Stuart Webb share three-year-old daughter Mae.
Speaking of her daughter, Kate told The Project panel, “The last thing I would want is for my daughter to have…I don’t want to say ‘body issues’, but I’m very conscious of curtailing any behaviour around feeling self-conscious.”
“She is undoubtedly the greatest achievement of my life. I am most at ease with myself when I am with her.”
