Kate Ritchie teases Home and Away return after 16 years as she reveals producers have already been in touch

 Kate Ritchie has teased a return to Home and Away sixteen years after she left the long-running Channel Seven soap opera.

The Nova radio star, 46, hinted that her character Sally Fletcher, who she played for twenty years from 1988 until 2008, could be making a surprise return.

She revealed producers have already been in touch with her multiple times trying to line her up for a return, but teased that she has not closed the door on the soap. 

'[Producers] have stopped calling, but they have told me the door is always open,' she told the Herald Sun.

'The idea of being back there and seeing everyone and working with all those actors again is not something I would not want to do, it is just whether it makes sense anymore.'

Kate added that she was unsure whether her character would fit in with the newer residents of Summer Bay or if she would still connect with viewers.

'All of the new viewers they have, half of them would not know who Sally is. I have my work cut out for me and parenthood and life generally, let alone throwing another job,' she added.

Kate was just eight years old when she entered the spotlight in 1988, starring as Sally Fletcher on long-running soap Home and Away.

Kate Ritchie (pictured) has teased a return to Home and Away, sixteen years after she left the long-running Channel Seven soap opera.

She starred on the show for 20 years, and has since admitted she found it difficult to find her own identity outside of her beloved character.

Despite winning two Gold Logies while she was on the show, Kate previously said was still left questioning her own worth.

'People wanted to meet me because of Sally, or I won awards because of or I was invited to great events because of Sally,' Kate told Stellar in December 2017.

'When you don't remember your life without it and all of a sudden that doesn't exist, you wonder, "What is it about me that is attractive"?'

Kate eventually sought therapy to cope with the issues, telling TV Week in March 2021: 'It really did feel like the loss of a big part of who I was.'

The Nova radio star, 46, hinted that character Sally Fletcher, who she played for twenty years from 1988 - 2008, could be making a surprise return. Pictured on the show

Since leaving Home and Away, Kate has only dabbled in acting and has instead launched a successful radio career. 

In 2008, she landed a small role in Underbelly's second season, appearing in two episodes - She went on to star in Nine's 2010 police drama Cops L.A.C.

Kate has since dedicated most of her time to radio as a co-host of Nova 96.9's popular breakfast show Fitzy and Wippa with Kate Ritchie.