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Sam Armytage quits Sunrise

“I want to take a break and find some peace and calm," says Sam Armytage.

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Sam Armytage has quit Sunrise in a tearful announcement this morning, ending 8 years on the Seven breakfast show.

The shock announcement comes just weeks after her marriage to Richard Lavender and a newspaper article in which she refers to “narcissist” in television.

“I don’t think any of us want to do the same thing forever. There’s a lot about television that’s all about you and that’s an awful way to live your life. TV isn’t a place that’s necessarily very healthy,” she told interviewer Angela Mollard, before saying with a grin: “It’s full of sociopaths and narcissists – it can be a dangerous environment, let me tell you.”

“I have always been brave and fearless in my career and this decision is no different,” she said in a statement today.

“I want to take a break and find some peace and calm. I go out of this job at a time of my own choosing and on top of the ratings, which not many people on television can say they do. I cannot thank you all enough for having me in your lounge rooms all these years.”

David Koch said, “Ever since Sam joined Sunrise eight years ago, she has been the rock of the program and always led from the front.

“Sam’s humour, work ethic and team first values have been an inspiration to us all. But now it’s time for Sam to put herself and Rich first and we couldn’t be happier for, or more supportive of, them both.”

Seven West Media Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, James Warburton, said: “Sam has been an important part of the Seven team for almost two decades, including eight fantastic years as co-host of Australia’s #1 breakfast show.

“We will be sad to see her leave Sunrise, but completely understand and support her decision to step back for a while and focus on her family. We wish Sam nothing but the very best for her break and look forward to announcing some exciting new projects for her in late 2021 and into 2022.”

But Armytage has also been frequently in headlines, followed by paparazzi and criticised on social media. She has frequently hit back over interest in her personal life, previously telling TV Tonight, “A lot of it is rubbish, but there are so many pages to fill on the internet these days, if they don’t write rubbish, what else are they going to write about? But you know… that’s the beast that it is!

“We put ourselves out there and sometimes we get shot down.”

Last December amid rumours of her future Seven news boss Craig McPherson told TV Tonight, “Sam has her beliefs. David Koch has his beliefs in certain areas. They don’t always agree but that makes for a healthy debate. We don’t like enforcing and lecturing our audience to any particular way on things but in a year that was very polarising …it’s understandable (when something said) can suddenly become a bit of an inferno out there.”

He added, “Everyone’s back next year, no changes flagged there.”

Sam Armytage departs Sunrise as the show continues to defeat its breakfast competition. Her final show is Thursday.

Later next year the show will relocate from Martin Place to Eveleigh.

37 Responses

  2. I’m not surprised especially since she recently got married and after losing her mother.
    But I have basically cut back from watching sunrise, I just stopped enjoying it, however I do enjoy fridays when Nat and Matt Doran host. Nat would make a great co host.
    I don’t feel as sad as when Mel left but good luck to Sam.

    1. Do you mean ABC Melbourne Breakfast? It stopped being News breakfast quite a few years ago, more parochial than the rather ordinary offerings from Nine and Seven, and I don’t know about their work ethic either, you get the impression that Paul Kennedy had to be frog-marched at gunpoint back into the Melbourne studio…

  4. I really hope it’s Sarah Harris!! Studio 10 is just awful now and I truely think she looks like she doesn’t want to be there. Nat has said many times she doesn’t want the fulltime presenter role – she loves her news position so I can’t see that happening.

    Sams heart hasn’t been in the job for a while – Kochies too for that matter! You can tell even when they call up for the cash cow – there is no interest in speaking to the winners or finding out about them. I wish Sam the best in her next adventure!

    2. I disagree. After not watching Studio 10 for awhile (due to random reasons, not exactly choice), watching it with Sarah & Tristan i find its actually better than i expected, considering so many of them were let go. i like Tristan more than i thought i would, the Bish & Craig are still doing the entertainment reports & Narelda bounces off all them really well with the news. Having Ding Dong dropping in to do her segment has brightened things up alot too.

  5. It’s going to be Nat. But it should be Sarah Harris. She would really freshen up the show. Feels like it would be the same old same old with Nat.

  6. Just my opinion/guess: Thursday is the last we’ll see of Sam at Seven. Can’t see these “projects” ever coming to fruition. Expect to see a TVT “breaking news” story mid-year along the lines of “Seven parts ways with Samantha Armytage”.

  8. I wish her luck. She’s not my favourite person with some of the things she has said on the show but you can’t deny the success she’s had. Be interesting to see whom they replace her with. It should be Nat but i have a feeling they will find someone new. Tarsh Belling could be a good pick although if Seven hadn’t terminated Mel Doyle’s contract she could have made a return. Hope it’s not Sonia though. She’s on enough television programs on Seven.

  9. I really like Sam but could see the change in her once she met Richard and married. I don’t think they will put Nat on fulltime, she is too good a newsreader. Best replacement I can think of at the moment is Sarah Harris, so wasted over on Studio 10. Not sure how that show is still running.

    1. I think Nat should stay where she is too. It seems like they treat her as an equal to the hosts anyway. Sarah could be the answer and a fresh face to the show.

  10. I reckon Nat & Kochie will be co-host with Nat & Matt on Friday’s. Matt should eventually replace Kochie at the end of 2022. Newsreader will likely be Edwina.

    1. I don’t think George is quite at full-time anchor stage of her career yet. But, she’s fantastic and I don’t think it’ll be too long before the commercial networks come knocking.

      1. I don’t think she would. Remember she didn’t do well on the Channel 10 breakfast show, albeit with very different cohosts and environment. You need someone with a bit of personality.

  16. Well done Sam. To find a replacement for her is going to be impossible. Cannot think of anyone who comes close. She was a very good interviewer but the thing that will be hard to replace is her fun sense of humour. Her replacement needs to come from a regional area as city folk are way too serious(boring) and politically correct now.

  19. Losing a parent in ones’ life at any point is the hardest quandary they will face. I salute Samantha on being very brave front up to work these last several months. The talent who will occupy her chair is anybody’s guess but if I could have it my way, I would immediately wine and dine Sarah Harris and bring her over. She has the right gravitas, outstanding interviewing abilities and is very gregarious. In any event, Samantha’s successor has big shoes to fill and a major obligation keeping Sunrise in the number one occupancy.

  22. Beat wishes for Sam. She has been a marvellous co-host. 😭 Before her Mel was fantastic. Hopefully Nat becomes co-host. Happy birthday Koshie. 🎂 Great to see Ally back on Nine’s Today.

  25. Am genuinely happy for her and on her own terms. Was a lovely quote she used that her mother gave her. The past six months, even year has been hard for so many.

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