Samantha Armytage quits Sunrise, in teary farewell

A teary Samantha Armytage has announced she is leaving Sunrise after a “very bittersweet” six months in her personal life. The co-host’s final day on the show will be Thursday before she steps out of the job to “calm things down.” “The time has come for the sun to set on my time at Sunrise,” Armytage said. “As many of you know, of my personal life the last six months have been very bittersweet, some bits happy, and I want to step out of this and calm things down, take some time, enjoy a bit of slow living with my precious family and husband,” she said on Sunrise. “I go out of this job at a time on top of the ratings, which not many people do not get to do. “Now it’s time to spend a bit and only after I feel refreshed, and after I take a break, will I decide on my next chapter.” A Channel 7 spokeswoman told The Daily Telegraph the host would still be employed by the network with new projects to be announced at a later date. Seven West Media managing director and chief executive officer, James Warburton, said: “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.” It comes after Armytage announced a new podcast with Stellar which detailed the dangers of TV. “I don’t think any of us want to do the same thing forever,” she said on Something To Talk About. “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. It’s full of sociopaths and narcissists – it can be a dangerous environment, let me tell you.” Armytage replaced much-loved former Sunrise host Melissa Doyle in 2013. Doyle had been a host in the gruelling breakfast slot for 14 years and her departure came at a delicate time when Channel 9’s Today show was winning back ground on Sunrise. Armytage was met with severe backlash when she replaced Doyle. She said she never set out to knife Doyle in 2013 and that there was no animosity between the pair at all. KOCHIE’S RESPONSE Armytage’s co-host David Koch described her as the “rock” of Sunrise. “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. “We are going to miss you so much and it will not be the same. Eight years! Boy, are we going to relive those eight years. Thursday is going to be a time,” he said before asking if Armytage’s husband Richard Lavender would join farewell celebrations. “It will be a big day on Thursday. Is Rich coming in? Come on, Rich!” ARMYTAGE’S ‘BITTERSWEET’ 2020 In August, Sam shared the sad news that both of her parents had been hospitalised. While Sam’s father recovered and was discharged from hospital, her mother sadly passed away just after the Melbourne Cup in November last year. The breakfast show host said goodbye to her mother late last year at a country funeral. Elizabeth ‘Libby’ Armytage died last November at the age of 68. Samantha delivered the eulogy at a small service in Wagga Wagga’s St Michael’s Cathedral. “She had the most extraordinary flair and creativity and great taste for the house, the garden, art, colours, clothes, words,” she said “She adored the theatre and the ballet. She was my barometer, my personal pub test for what was good and what was silly and when not to take crap. She was highly discerning, she often mused that she couldn’t tolerate fools and idiots, something we have all inherited.” In December, Armytage tied the knot with her partner, horse breeder Richard Lavender, during an intimate ceremony. She credits Lavender as the key reason she was able to keep her head up through the last 12 months. Newly married life is one of the many topics she plans to delve further into in the upcoming episodes of her new weekly podcast for Stellar. You can listen to Something To Talk About with Samantha Armytage wherever you get your podcasts.