Content warning: This article touches on mental health struggles. If you or anybody else needs support, contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, or visit the website here.
Kate Ritchie surprised fans when she returned to Nova’s airwaves with a candid update about her absence.
The host made her comeback on the Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie show on August 8, and said she was happy to be on air again.
“It is so good to be back, and I didn’t want to really kind of stop down and talk too much about everything, but I just have to say in all honesty, I have felt such 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 that I have had away from the studio, and not only away from Nova, but away from lots of things, I just couldn’t be more thankful.”
She then thanked her fellow co-hosts, producers, and staff from Nova for their ongoing support.
“That was never the issue, but I think what I do really need to say, and I’m so glad I’m finally behind the microphone, because I couldn’t possibly respond to everyone, but 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,” she explained.
Why did Kate Ritchie take a break from radio?
Earlier this year, she took some time away from the show to focus on her mental health.
“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, can’t wait to hear you back on the radio’…. if you messaged me and I didn’t respond, because I did try to respond to a lot of people, and you started a message by saying, ‘This feels so silly’ or ‘This is going to be weird you don’t know me. I feel strange messaging you. But I just wanted to check in and see how you are going,” she said.
“Thank you for bothering, because I read all of those messages and they made all the difference.”
“I’m sure everybody listening has had, you know, periods of feeling incredibly alone and isolated, and sometimes the kindness is what keeps everything moving forward. So don’t ever, don’t ever, second-guess being kind to someone or thinking that it’s going to go down the wrong way. Just do it, because I saw all of those things…thank you to all of the people who called today and said, ‘Thanks for coming back’. Thank you for being so patient.”
While grateful for the support, Kate added that it felt different this time because she took the time away from the radio for her benefit.
Michael Wipfli, known as ‘Wippa’, confirmed that she was also coming back next Friday.
