On her final day on Sunrise, Samantha Armytage has delivered a tearful goodbye to the breakfast program she’s called home since 2013, sitting alongside co-host David ‘Kochie’ Koch.
Prior to thanking the cast and crew, the breakfast hots took aim at certain “nasty” media for “bullying” her throughout her career.
“I do want to say that I never fully understood some of the scrutiny and the snarkiness and the bullying from some aspects of the media, but today we move on from that because there is a new chapter starting. It has been overwhelmingly a good experience in my life.”
“Thank you, most all, to all our viewers, you are just wonderful people. There are so many lovely people out there, so many more lovely ones than the nasty ones,” she continued.
Kochie also delivered a tearful farewell to his co-host: “For the past eight years she’s been a much-loved part of the Sunrise family but the time has come for her to focus on her family. Goodbyes are never easy, there will probably be some tears, but this morning we’re going to celebrate an incredible journey with some very special guests and a lot of surprises.”
The show was filled with several surprises, including the Channel Seven star getting a surprise video call from her younger sister Georgia and niece Lucia, who are currently locked down in London.
Armytage first announced her decision to depart the popular program on March 8, telling viewers: “I have some big news to announce. The time has come for the sun to set on my time at Sunrise. I have always been very brave and fearless in my life and my career and this decision is no different.”
“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. I want to step out of this public world for a while, take some time and calm things down [and] enjoy a bit of slow living and spend some time with my precious family, my husband and Banjo.”
Armytage stressed she made the decision to leave, not addressing speculation that her contract wasn’t renewed, saying: “I go out of this job at a time of my own choosing and on top of the ratings which not many people in television can say they do. I’m extremely proud of my almost eight years at the helm of Sunrise, my seven years before that at Weekend Sunrise and my almost 18 years with the Seven network.”
Sam will remain with the Seven Network, with her future projects to be announced at a later date.
Her replacement as Sunrise co-host will be announced “soon”, according to the network.
