Kate Ritchie’s lucrative skincare deal in doubt after drink-driving charge

Kate Ritchie’s lucrative partnership with a major skincare company appears to have been quietly wrapped up in the wake of the star’s recent drink-driving charge.

The Nova drive host and Australia’s Got Talent judge, who signed up with QV Skincare as a brand ambassador back in 2016, has been removed from the company’s promotional campaigns both online and across social media platforms.

And there’s no sign of the former Home and Away star on the official QV Skincare Instagram account which dates back to 2017.

Meanwhile, Ritchie has deleted any reference to the brand from her own social media accounts.

QV deal appears to have been quietly wrapped up in the wake of the star’s recent drink-driving charge.

The apparent parting of ways comes just several days week after Ritchie, 44, was busted for drink driving by police in Sydney’s Eastern suburbs.

The Nova personality blew over after she was stopped by police in her blue Subaru station wagon for a random breath test on August 22.

She was immediately arrested and taken to Maroubra Police Station, where she underwent a secondary breath analysis which returned a positive reading of 0.06, just a shade over the legal limit of 0.05.

Ritchie is understood to have been fined $600 on the spot and suspended from driving for three months.

She later shared a post to Instagram, apologising for her actions and said she made a ‘poor decision’.

Ritchie with her Nova co-hosts Tim Blackwell and Joel Creasy

Kate’s $1million-per-year gig is said to be ‘under review’ at Nova

The knock to her public image couldn’t have come at a worse time for the popular Aussie presenter whose $1million-per-year radio gig is also said to be ‘under review’ at Nova as she and the network enter contract negotiations.

The former soap star hosts Nova’s drive show with Tim Blackwell and relative newcomer Joel Creasy, who replaced Marty Sheargold in 2020.

However ‘extended absences’ from the airwaves have been cited by an industry insider as one of the black marks against Ritchie’s name, along with her costly salary package which has steadily grown over the years.

At one point in 2020, Ritchie took seven consecutive weeks of leave from her late-afternoon shift, which one radio figure said was ‘unheard of’.

More recently she took an unexplained three-week break during peak ratings season.

A Nova spokesperson was quick to dismiss speculation Ritchie was being replaced on the Kate, Tim and Joel insisting she was ‘collaborating’ with her management to balance her radio commitments with a planned ‘return to her acting roots’.

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 and Joel drive show or Kate’s role within the show.’

‘As a proud QV ambassador, I’m passionate about the new campaign which celebrates the strength that comes from those around us,’ Ritchie said in 2019

Kate is set to make her TV comeback this year on Australia’s Got Talent

As part of the long-standing QV deal, Ritchie launched the successful Together We’re Stronger campaign which showcased the importance of skin-on-skin contact in creating connections and moments of ‘togetherness with loved ones throughout the different stages of life’.

“As a proud QV ambassador, I’m passionate about the new campaign which celebrates the strength that comes from those around us, and the amazing role our skin plays in creating those close connections,” Ritchie said at the time.

Ego Pharmaceuticals, the parent company of QV Skincare, has been contacted for comment by Daily Mail Australia.

Ritchie’s management has also been sought for comment.