FORMER Home And Away star Kate Ritchie has opened up about what it was like growing up in the spotlight, revealing the shocking comments complete strangers have made about her body.
Ritchie began working on Home And Away in 1987 when she was just eight years old and starred on the show for the next two decades.
During an interview on The Project, Ritchie discussed a segment on teenage body image and revealed how her changing body on the soap is still openly discussed by people who approach her in public.
“Well I have to admit it was pretty awful at times, but I think after 30 years I’m so used to people commenting on my body,” Ritchie said.
“I’m sure this isn’t too crass, but I kind of grew overnight and I’ve had people since then, I go and buy sausages at the butcher or I go to the hairdresser and people tell me they remember the day when Sally Fletcher grew breasts.”
As Ritchie’s confession drew a shocked reaction from the rest of The Project panel, the former soap star said the scrutiny made her stronger and she now realised “we shouldn’t be at war with our bodies”.
“The self-consciousness I’m detached from, but I do think that it has affected me in some ways,” she said.
Since leaving Home And Away in 2008, Ritchie has gone on to forge a successful career in radio and joined Nova’s Kate, Tim and Marty drive show in 2014.
Earlier this month she won the Australian Commercial Radio Award for Best Entertainment Presenter.
Speaking to news.com.au, an emotional Ritchie said the accolade made her feel accepted in the radio industry.
“It does mean a lot because it’s been a period of reshaping my career in some ways,” she said.
Besides her work in radio Ritchie is also a children’s book author and is currently promoting her second book It’s Not Scribble to Me.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7HWrGWcp51jrrZ7xKernqqklravucSnq2ispmSwtr7RnqWtZZGbs6K10axmqZ2fpbmmedGepJ6lkpq%2FbsDHnmSdmaliwKK4y7JkoKqVrHqjvsSaqq2rXai1sK%2FKZpqopZ2au7W%2FjKugrZuYnrJur86pp56cXajBor7RoqWgZZ%2BjerXCjqecsKtdqMGwvthom5ptaJqzpbKPa2xrcGKYhnd%2Fkp2bbJ1lm7J4ssNvbWk%3D