Real reason Samantha Armytage is leaving Seven from TV insider

Samantha Armytage shocked fans on Sunday by announcing she was leaving Channel Seven after 21 years with the network, admitting her decision was “a little sad and bittersweet”.

In a statement to the Daily Telegraph, the Farmer Wants A Wife host explained: “I leave with lots of goodwill in my heart and excitement about the future. I’m big on instinct. I listen to my instinct. I know when the time comes. I am proud of the fact that I back myself enough to say, 'I’ve done what I can do here' and I move on.”

Insider reveals why Sam Armytage is leaving Channel Seven: 'She wants something real'

Although initial reports suggested the former Sunrise host’s choice not to renew her contract with Seven may be down to talent across the network facing pay cuts, as advertising revenue across the entire media industry continues to decline, Yahoo Lifestyle understands there was much more to it than this.

“Since Sam left Sunrise [in 2021] all they’ve really given her is Farmer,” a source at Seven said, with Sam having hosted Farmer Wants A Wife for the past three seasons.

“She wants something gritty and real, not to be shafted into reality. Throughout her career, Sam’s travelled the world covering wars, natural disasters and the biggest stories of most people's lifetimes and she misses the rush that comes with this and knowing she’s making a difference.”

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Why Sam left Sunrise and what's next

Samantha left Sunrise in 2021 after 8 years and moved to the country with her husband Richard Lavender, a retired horse breeder. She cited the 'scrutiny, snarkiness and bullying' she received from the media alongside the gruelling schedule required for breakfast television as her reason for leaving at the time.

The TV source added that Samantha also feels women over a certain age in the industry are often “disregarded” and “seen as past it” – which has also "pushed her” to pursue new opportunities and prove people wrong.

In her statement on Sunday, Samantha hinted at this, saying: "I had to sit with myself here and ask, "What does my next five to 10 years look like?"'. I'm 47, so it was a bit of a stocktake. I'm still productive. I want to make good TV."

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Interestingly, Samantha’s decision to leave Seven comes a week after the network announced they’d lured former Network 10 star Amanda Keller over and signed her up to co-host Once In A Lifetime with Dr Chris Brown. Amanda and Dr Chris previously spent a decade hosting The Living Room together on Channel 10 and are described as a "dream duo" for viewers.

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