Samantha Armytage To Leave Sunrise

Armytage, co-host of Seven’s morning show Sunrise, has announced her intention to depart the role, which she has held since 2013.

According to a press release from Seven, the decision comes with the network’s “full support”, with new projects announced at a later stage.

Armytage said, “the time has come for the sun to set on my time at Sunrise. I have always been brave and fearless in my career and this decision is no different.”

“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.”

Her co-host 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.”

On New Years Eve 2020, Armytage married Richard Lavender, a retired farmer.

According to an interview in The Daily Telegraph’s Stellar magazine published in late February, leaving the show was already on the cards for Armytage.

“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…it’s full of sociopaths and narcissists – it can be a dangerous environment, let me tell you,” she told the publication, who she also writes a column for.

She also said that because she was previously unmarried, she felt there was a greater expectation on her to fill her time with work.

“[Sometimes I’d think] ‘Well, actually, I’d get something else going on if you didn’t make me do this.’”

In a press statement about Armytage’s departure, 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.”

Armytage announced in February that she would be hosting a new weekly podcast for Stellar called ‘Something To Talk About with Samantha Armytage’.

In the same interview with the publication, she said that she felt her creative side was under-utilised, and that media had become saturated with outrage.

“We’re getting to the point in the media where you can’t say a lot…everyone is so woke and no-one is saying what they actually think because they’re frightened. If you say what the average Australian is thinking on air, you get hammered for it by the vocal minority.”

On Monday morning’s show, where she announced her departure, she reflected that, “as many of you know, the last six months of my personal life have been very bitter-sweet, some bits have been very happy, and some bits have been very, very sad.”

Last year, Armytage lost her mother, and her father suffered a stroke.

Seven has said that they will be announcing forthcoming projects with Armytage for late 2021 and 2022.

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