The 44-year-old Australian actress and radio host was fined $600 and hit with a three-month driving ban after being pulled over in Sydney’s east on Monday afternoon, where she allegedly recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.06 at Maroubra Police Station.Taking to Instagram this morning, Ritchie addressed the incident and apologised for her actions. “Recently I undertook a random breath test. Although it was low level, the test came back positive,” she wrote.“I made a poor decision and there is no doubt I understand the seriousness of my actions.”“I am truly sorry.”Despite claims Ritchie was facing the axe at her popular NovaFM drive show Kate, Tim & Joel, a spokesperson for the network told news.com.au she would be returning to the show in weeks.“As you can appreciate, NOVA Entertainment does not comment on personal matters relating to any of our employees. Kate has made a statement on her socials in relation to the matter,” a spokesperson said. “Whilst we don’t usually comment on this type of unfounded speculation, or confirm our presenter line up for 2023, we have no plans for any changes to the Kate, Tim & Joel drive show or Kate’s role within the show.“Kate is currently on planned leave and has been for the past few weeks. She will return to the Kate, Tim & Joel show after survey break. Kate is a talented broadcaster and a respected member of the Kate, Tim & Joel and Nova Network team.”Nova issued the statement after a report in the Daily Mail claimed the network was looking to replace her with Ricki-Lee Coulter following the incident.Coulter, 36, is currently filling in for Ritchie while she’s on leave.Ritchie was issued with an infringement notice for the offence of driving with low range prescribed concentration of alcohol and had her driver’s licence suspended on the spot.The driving suspension comes amid her upcoming return to TV as a judge on the Seven series, Australia’s Got Talent.The reality show has reportedly finished shooting but does not have a release date yet.Ritchie is joined by fellow judges, Australian actor Shane Jacobson and British stars David Walliams and Alesha Dixon.In the past few months, Ritchie has been featuring irregularly on her radio show with several lengthy absences, most recently after coming down with Covid.Ritchie has had a difficult few years in the spotlight, following her rocky split from husband, retired rugby league player Stuart Webb, in 2019, who recently had his own driving record issues, including a DUI. The former couple share an eight-year-old daughter.She then began dating 25-year-old security consultant John Bell, but they broke up at the end of last year.Ritchie is well-known for her role as Sally Fletcher on Home and Away, which she starred on from the age of eight in 1988 until 2008.In a rare emotional interview, Ritchie opened up about how she felt “lost” after leaving the long-running Seven soap on Anh Do’s ABC program, Brush With Fame, last year.“It was just so frightening,” she said at the time.“What do I actually do when someone doesn’t hand me a schedule on a Friday afternoon and tell me where to be on a Monday?”
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