Kate Ritchie

[ter06]

HOME AND AWAY actress Kate Ritchie is leaving the Aussie soap after 19 years playing Sally Fletcher.

She will enter the Guiness Book of Records as the longest serving actor in an Oz drama series - along with fellow original cast member Ray Meagher, who played Alf Stewart for 18 years.

She has starred in the show since the series began in 1988, but now the 28-year-old star says she is leaving as she needs to spread her wings.

In 2000, an explicit sex tape, widely reported to feature Ritchie and her ex-boyfriend, began circulating on the Internet, but to this day Ritchie has never publicly commented on it.

In the 2006 Home & Away season finale, Sally was stabbed and left slumped alone on a dark footpath. This was followed by a video montage of her life in the Bay

And the following from www.thestage.co.uk (This is really big news everywhere!!)

Love the first line;

She’s leaving home (and away)…

The soap opera world is tilting precariously on its axis today, with the shock news that Kate Ritchie, who has played Sally in Home and Away since its very first episode, has confirmed that she is leaving the show after nineteen years.

The last series of the show, which is currently on its traditional summer break in Australia, ended with her character in a life-or-death situation (we won’t go into too many details here; the episode won’t air here in the UK until sometime next year), and a music video compilation of Ritchie’s two decades on the show. Home and Away’s parent channel, Seven, have remained tight-lipped about the character’s eventual fate, but Ritchie has confirmed to the Herald Sun that whatever happens, she won’t be back as Sally:

It’s been a fantastic experience, but now I think I might be ready to look past that. In order to grow creatively you need to spread your wings. While the public might have me typecast, I know in my heart I’m not just that little girl who grew up on Home and Away.

[alexx]

That first article got its fact terribly wrong. It was actually 1998 about the sex tapes, and she was entered into the Guinness book of records along with Ray a few years ago now wasn’t she?

I don’t believe she is leaving, is she were – why wouldn’t she just do an official statement. All these papers are reporting it as fact, but she hasn’t actually ever stated ‘I am leaving H&A’ has she?

[ter06]

Hopefully it's all false and the papers will have a lot of humble pie to be eating. Hopefully in ten years time we'll still be discussing Sally and laughing at all this!

[caitrules]

I don't think its true, if it was it would be fairly big news in Australia and I can't find a headline with her in it on any online aus news sites.

[clarky24]

I don't think its true, if it was it would be fairly big news in Australia and I can't find a headline with her in it on any online aus news sites.

I agree. Why would she be confirming that not matter what happens to Sally she won't be returning before we know whether Sally survives the stabbing or not. Is she saying in other words that Sally dies? I couldn't imagine Channel 7 allowing that sort of information to get out before we have even seen next years episode. I could be wrong about this but there has been so many articles out in the last week it is hard to know whether to believe them or not.

[~Lynd~]

Surely as i think Alexx said, if it was true she'd just put a offiial statement out.I think it's all to make people think Sally's dead but it's done the opposite,we aren't stupid and none of these articles have Kate say she is leaving.They all say she's thinking about it and

she's on the same break as everyone else at the moment.

[princessofgenovia]

http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story...8-10229,00.html

saw this on a uk site, i don't think they'll actually release a statement either way, cos they'll just want everyone to wait til jan...

[AngelRose]

Again, no confirmation, no denial; but it is creating an unusually high amount of UK buzz, which of course is what both Five and Seven want

[ter06]

Just found this on Yahoo UK & IRELAND

Kate says goodbye to Home and Away Saturday December 9, 07:52 AM

Strewth! Here's a shocker from Down Under - Kate Ritchie is leaving Home and Away.

She's been with the soap since it began - only she and co-star Ray Meagher have been in the programme since 1988.

She is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest-serving actor in an Aussie drama.

"It has been a fantastic experience but now I think I might be ready to look past that," says the actress.

Viewers have watched Ritchie grow up over the years, as she was just 10 when she landed

the role of Sally.

Back then the young character was fostered by Pippa Fletcher and her first husband, but since then she's suffered numerous problems.

Pippa left Summer Bay after being widowed twice, while more recently, Sally's own husband, Flynn passed away.

Rumours began to spread about Kate's future in the soap after the last episode of the year before the show's Christmas break was broadcast in Australia just over a week ago.

The cliff-hanger focuses on Sally being left for dead by a mystery assailant following a vicious attack.

British fans will have to wait for some time to see the scenes, but they're sure to be gripping stuff.

[bodwod]

I couldn't imagine Channel 7 allowing that sort of information to get out before we have even seen next years episode.

I agree. I would have thought that if she is leaving Ch 7 would have a gag order on her until the season returns. Then again, Mischa Barton announced Marissa's death on the OC a couple of hours before the finale aired, pissing fans off left right and centre.