Newlywed Sunrise host Samantha Armytage announces she is leaving the show to ‘find some peace’

The West Australian
VideoSam Armytage announces resignation from Sunrise

Newlywed Sunrise host Samantha Armytage has announced her shock departure from Sunrise after eight years in an emotion-charged speech aired this morning.

Just months after marrying her partner Richard Lavender, Armytage said it was time for the “sun to set” on her time on the popular morning show.

“I have always been brave and fearless in my career and this decision is no different,” the 44-year-old said.

“As many of you know the last six months of my personal life have been very bittersweet, some bits have been very happy and some bits have been very, very sad and I want to step out of this public world for a while and take some time and calm things down, enjoy a bit of slow living and spend some time with my precious family and my husband and Banjo,” she said.

Armytage’s mother Libby died in November after a 15-year battle with an auto-immune disease, at the time she said the loss had left an “irreparable hole in each of our hearts”.

Read more...

In this morning’s announcement, Armytage said she was proud to be leaving Sunrise at a time of her choosing and on top of the ratings: “Which not many people in television can say they do.”

“I’m extremely proud of my eight years at the helm of Sunrise, my seven years before that at Weekend Sunrise and my almost 18 years with the Seven Network,” she said.

“My mother used to say to me edit your life frequently and ruthlessly it is your masterpiece after all and that is precisely what I am doing. This is a chapter, not the whole story and I have a few days left to say goodbye to you all for now.

“Thank you for having me in your lounge rooms all these years, now it is time for me to spend a bit of time in my own lounge room and, after a I take a break and only after I feel refreshed, will I decide on my next chapter.”

Armytage will remain at the network, with new projects to be announced at a later stage. In a statement today, Seven said Armytage’s decision was made with the “full support” of the network

Co-host David Koch, who has shared the couch with her during her entire Sunrise stint, said it was time for her to “put herself” and her new husband first.

Camera IconSamantha Armytage and Richard Lavender on their wedding day. Credit: Instagram/Samantha Armytage

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

“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 chief executive officer James Warburton said he was sad to see Armytage leave the show but the company understood and supported her decision to 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,” he said.

It comes just days after Armytage announced she was hosting her own podcast “Something to Talk About with Samantha Armytage”.

The podcast is in collaboration with Stellar magazine, the same publication the Seven personality writes a weekly column for.

Armytage married Lavender, in an inmate ceremony at the businessman’s 40 hectare property in the Southern Highlands in NSW on New Year’s Eve.

Network director of news and public affairs Craig McPherson and Sunrise executive producer Michael Pell paid tribute to Armytage’s good humour.

“There really is no one else like her,” Mr Pell said.

Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.

Sign up for our emails