Kate Ritchie has been seen for the first time since taking leave from her Nova radio gig to focus on her health after images emerged of her acting erratically.
The Nova 96.9 Sydney radio host, 46, has been on a break from the show since January after she was spotted visiting a bottle shop and breaking down in tears in a park.
The actress looked happy and relaxed on Wednesday as she attended her daughter Mae’s sporting event in Sydney.
The former Home and Away star was all smiles as she enjoyed a cup of coffee while chatting to fellow spectators.
She dressed comfortably for the outing in black sport tights, a grey T-shirt and a pair of black sneakers.
Kate wore a black cap and held a yellow tote bag as she cheered her daughter from the sidelines.
Kate Ritchie has been seen for the first time since taking time off from her Nova radio gig to focus on her health
Kate wore a black cap and held a yellow tote bag as she cheered her daughter from the sidelines
The actress looked happy and relaxed as she stepped out to attend her daughter Mae’s sporting event
The Nova 96.9 Sydney radio host released a statement to Instagram earlier this month, addressing the concerning photos and explaining why she was taking a break from her radio show.
‘I struggle with mental health issues at times, which are deeply personal. This has proven to be a bigger challenge than I imagined,’ she began.
‘So I have decided to take a break from the show and the team who I love to focus on my health. I want to thank all of those who are helping me through this very difficult time. I love you. Thank you Nova for being there when I need you.’
Ritchie went on to address the images taken on January 29.
‘This is also a problem many others are struggling with. They know what it’s like. The images of me taken last week show that I wasn’t okay on that day,’ she continued.
Ritchie went on to thank her friends and fans for their support over the past week.
‘Thank you to my wonderful family, all the Nova listeners, and many others who are sending their love and support. I appreciate it more than you can imagine,’ she wrote.
On the day the pictures were taken, Ritchie drove near her home shortly after 3pm before heading to a nearby park.
The former Home and Away star enjoyed a cup of coffee
Footage obtained by Daily Mail Australia then showed the former actress crying while on the phone, wiping tears from her eyes and burying her head in her hands.
A witness, who saw Ritchie get out of the car at the park, said the star ‘looked really distressed’.
‘She walked around a bit in the park while talking and then suddenly she sat down and started rocking her whole body back and forth and crying,’ they said.
‘It was really confronting – she looked so upset. When she turned around her eyes were all red and puffy and she looked absolutely devastated.’
The actress was then seen struggling to get up from the grass.
‘After the call ended, she tried to stand up but lost her balance and sort of fell over again,’ the bystander added.
‘When she finally managed to get to her feet, she started making another phone call… she looked much happier during that call.’
Ritchie then walked around to the back of the vehicle – holding an arm out on the car as she got into the driver’s seat and drove home.
At the time, Nova’s co-hosts had promised their audience that the absent Ritchie would return after one day off, but that timeline was soon dropped.
