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Wippa chats Kate Ritchie’s new TV gig: ‘She’s absolutely thrilled’

Kate Ritchie was recently announced as a new judge for the upcoming season of Australia’s Got Talent, marking her first return to series television since 2013.

Speaking to Yahoo Lifestyle, Kate’s Nova colleague and Celebrity Apprentice contestant Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli couldn’t be happier for her.

Wippa, Kate Ritchie, Joel Creasey and Tim Blackwell.
Wippa says that his Nova colleague will be “so good” at her new job. Pictured with Joel Creasey and Tim Blackwell. Photo: Instagram/katetimjoelshow

Wippa reveals that he’s spoken to the former Home And Away star, and says “she’s really excited”.

“It’s great, she’ll be so good at that job,” he tells us.

“I messaged her over the weekend actually when I saw that she locked that in and she said she’s absolutely thrilled.”

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Kate will be joined on the AGT judging panel by Emmy and Tony Award-winning performer Neil Patrick Harris, multi-platinum selling recording artist Alesha Dixon, and actor and entertainer Shane Jacobson.

In a statement to Channel Seven, the Kate, Tim and Joel host gushed about the upcoming season of the talent show.

“People have spent more time at home than usual this past year. Some developed brand new skills and others fine-tuned their already spectacular talents,” Kate said.

I am not only flattered to be sharing the AGT panel with this season’s line-up but super excited to see the incredible talent Australia has to offer... from what I believe to be the best seat in the house!”

Kate Ritchie's Australia's Got Talent promo photo.
Kate will be joining the AGT judging panel with Neil Patrick Harris, Alesha Dixon, and Shane Jacobson. Photo: Channel Seven

Wippa, who recently finished in 5th place on the revamped Celebrity Apprentice, says he’d love for his next television appearance to be as a judge on a competition series.

“I love those shows,” he admits. “There are so many famous viral videos that get around of unbelievable talent where you can’t believe the voice someone's come up with, you can’t believe a magician or a trick they’ve done, you can’t believe someone’s accidentally farted in an audition.

“This is what excites me, not knowing what you’re gonna get through that door. And then being able to assess them based on their performance which they’ve spent so long mastering, I think that's what really excites me. I love those shows.”

Wippa and Martha Kalifatidis.
Wippa says that Martha was ‘great fun to have on the show’ and she doesn’t deserve the hate. Photo: Instagram/wippa1

Wippa on Martha: ‘I had sort of branded her'

The Fitzy & Wippa personality also spoke about working with controversial reality TV star Martha Kalifatidis on Celebrity Apprentice.

He confesses that he had incorrectly stereotyped her before competing on the show, and she was very different to what he expected.

“I was like, oh, one of those people from Married At First Sight. I had sort of branded her,” he acknowledges.

“But she was super smart, great TV, very funny. She was great fun to have on the show.

“She cops a lot of hate, and that’s because she is jarring and her honesty is confronting at times… What a lot of people don’t understand is that she’s a fun, great girl. She's awesome to hang around with and we've remained friends since the show.”

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