“As everyone would understand, this is a very big step for me to take.
“It is a shocking invasion of my privacy that the Daily Mail, through their unrelenting stalking of me, has forced me to issue this public statement, in their blatant attempt to publicly shame me on a private health matter.”
It comes as the website published several photos on Thursday morning of Ritchie entering and leaving a health facility in Sydney.
The Australia’s Got Talent judge was open about feeling burnt out when she revealed on-air in October that she needed a break from the Kate, Tim and Joel drive show.
In an official statement shared to the Nova website, Ritchie detailed the “hectic” year that left her desperate for a break.
“And as you may have guessed, I invest a lot of emotional energy into everything I do, my work, and my family especially and the last few months I have been working on radio, I’ve been returning to TV and in my spare time, I even wrote a children’s book,” she said.
“So, it’s simple, like some of you, I imagine, I’m tired and I just need a break for a short while and have more time for me, and for my family to re-energise. I have spoken with the bosses at Nova, and they have graciously agreed that this is a good time to take the break, as we approach the end of the year.”
Nova Entertainment CEO Peter Charlton threw his support behind Ritchie taking an extended break.
“Kate is a talented broadcaster and a respected member of the Kate, Tim & Joel and Nova Network team,” he said in a statement at the time.
“We are very supportive of Kate’s decision to take some time for herself and her family. We look forward to welcoming her back in the new year.”
Elaborating on her decision to step back in a November interview on Kidspot’s The Juggling Act podcast, Ritchie conceded she needed to “slow down”.
“It was a really hard decision because I’ve been working since I was an 8-year-old child and I think that I thrive by having a schedule every day,” she said.
“I am not good at just sitting with myself. I have done so many great things this year, but it was just time to have confidence in saying, ‘this is what I need’.”
In August, news of Ritchie’s DUI arrest made headlines, where she was fined A$600 and hit with a three-month driving ban after being pulled over in Sydney’s east.
“Recently I undertook a random breath test. Although it was low level, the test came back positive,” Ritchie wrote in an Instagram post.
“I made a poor decision and there is no doubt I understand the seriousness of my actions. I am truly sorry.”
