Samantha Armytage hints at major change after leaving Farmer Wants A Wife

Samantha Armytage has hinted at a major change amid reports the former Seven star has joined rival network Nine. The former Farmer Wants A Wife host teased her new gig at The Everest in Sydney over the weekend.

Samantha is tipped to host the highly-anticipated Australian version of The Golden Bachelor for Nine in 2025. TV Blackbox revealed last month that the network is bringing the dating show to Australian audiences next year, and the Daily Telegraph has reported that Samantha has formally signed a contract to host the show.

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The publication reveals that the deal is believed to be worth a significant amount, adding that insiders at Nine confirmed the news to them, saying her contract with Seven is believed to have ended.

Speaking to the newspaper at the races on the weekend, Samantha was asked if it was true she'd signed with Nine, with the presenter smiling coyly at the camera and saying, "Look, watch this space. Exciting times ahead."

Samantha Armytage announces departure from Seven

Announcing her departure from Seven on Instagram, Samantha wrote, "21 is a coming-of-age. And so, after that many years, I am departing Channel 7 with lots of happy memories, a full heart & huge thanks to the many fantastic colleagues along the journey.

"There’s too many highlights to list ~ I have hosted almost every show in the network (from Sunrise dawn to Farmer’s dusk) ~ & covered many of the important news stories of the past 2 decades.

"I started at 7 as a fresh-faced 26yo journo & will leave as a .. ahem… more matured -faced woman - who’s worked hard, had THE most incredible experiences & also a lot of fun."

She added, "I hope I’ve brought a little bit of info & sparkle into your living rooms so far 💫 to ALL who watched, thank you for tuning-in for so many years. This is not the end, just the end of this chapter."

Sonia Kruger also named a possible Golden Bachelor host

This comes after an insider told Yahoo Lifestyle that Sonia Kruger, who left Channel Seven in 2011 to host Nine’s reboot of Big Brother Australia but has since returned to the network, could be jumping ship again to host The Golden Bachelor.

"The word on the street is that Sonia could reboot The Golden Bachelor on Channel Nine in 2025," the source shared. "Channel Nine loved working with Sonia and everyone would welcome her back with open arms. There is a real bidding war which will see two networks keen to lock her services down in the new year.

"The Channel Seven star is yet to hear what the lineup for 2025 will look like if she stays with the network but with Big Brother cancelled there is a hole in her contract that will need to be fixed if she is to be picked up again."

What else do we know about The Golden Bachelor?

Production company Warner Bros. Australia first sparked speculation about a local version of The Golden Bachelor in November 2023 when they shared a post about “seeking single seniors for an exciting new TV series”.

“We are looking for fun, active, and outgoing male seniors aged 60 or over who are divorced/widowed and open to meeting the next love of their life in our ground-breaking new series,” they wrote.

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“We want to hear from you or anyone who would like to nominate someone they know to take part in the show. We want to celebrate love at every age and show that when it comes to finding love and romance, age is just a number!”

The inaugural season of The Golden Bachelor in the US starred 72-year-old Gerry Turner, a widower and father of two. The show received its highest viewership in three years, according to The Hollywood Reporter, and was praised by fans for its inclusivity and diversity.

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