The end of an era in soap-opera land with Kate Ritchie – a soap veteran at the age of 29 – deciding to leave Home And Away after twenty years playing former foster child Sally Fletcher.

Ritchie, then aged 9, was part of the show’s original cast line-up and with fellow cast member Ray Meagher has hit the record books for the longest running characters in an Australian series.

Her departure from the long running series comes after a year that has included a stint as co-host on the drive-time program on radio network Nova, co-hosting Seven‘s popular It Takes Two, and winning the TV Week Gold Logie for most popular television personality. She will be taping her final scenes later this year, but will be appearing on-air until around April next year – which could be enough to inspire TV Week’s younger readership to vote her for another Gold Logie.

Ritchie is reported to be maintaining ties with the Seven Network while pursuing other interests.