Kate Ritchie's surprising career move revealed after quitting radio show

Following the surprising news that she will not be returning to her national Drive show Kate, Tim & Joel, Kate Ritchie’s next career move has now officially been announced.

NOVA Entertainment revealed on Friday morning that the former Home and Away actress will be returning to breakfast radio in Sydney and joining the popular on-air duo Fitzy & Wippa.

The beloved actress, author and broadcaster will serve as a co-host on Nova 96.9’s new breakfast show alongside Ryan ‘Fitzy’ Fitzgerald and Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli from Monday 13 March, which will be renamed Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie.

“I am so excited to be joining Fitzy and Wippa in the very competitive breakfast slot,” Kate said in a statement. “I’m a huge fan of the show and I’ve been great mates with the boys for years.

“The past eight years on Drive has been an important part of my life but I’m thrilled to take on this new challenge by returning to breakfast radio in my hometown. I can’t wait to wake up Sydneysiders beside two of the industry’s much-loved breakfast announcers.”

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Fitzy & Wippa also said: “We’ve been annoying Kate around the office for over ten years, now we get to do it every morning.

“We are excited for our audience to hear how funny Kate thinks we are. Nova listeners have always loved Kate and now she’ll be served up every weekday. Please enjoy your breakfast.”

Kate, who is known for her “engaging personality, natural rapport and quick wit”, has spent over a decade with the Nova Network across two of its most successful shows.

For the last eight years, she’s served as co-host of Australia’s #1 Drive show alongside Tim Blackwell and Joel Creasey, and before that she co-hosted Nova 96.9’s popular breakfast show with Merrick Watts and Tim ‘Rosso’ Ross.

Kate’s replacement revealed

The news comes shortly after it was announced that singer-songwriter and former Australian Idol contestant Ricki-Lee Coulter will be replacing Kate on Nova’s national Drive show, which is to be called Ricki-Lee, Tim & Joel.

The pop star said in a statement: “I love Tim and Joel like the brothers I never had but always wanted, and I have been having so much fun in the studio with them – they are the best in the business.

“I have so much love for Kate and I’m so happy I’ve been able to help out on the drive show over the last year. I am pumped to be officially joining the Nova family.”

Her co-hosts Tim and Joel said: “Is there anything this girl can’t do? We’re so stoked that Ricki-Lee can fit us in around her current schedule of world domination. Music, TV and now radio with us.

“Her energy gets us all up and about each and every day. Fingers crossed we can both keep up.”

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