Sam Armytage has refused to comment on the international backlash she’s receiving over a ‘racist’ Sunrise segment from 2015 that resurfaced on Sunday.
The viral clip, in which she congratulated a white woman on her skin tone, has been viewed 4.6 million times on Twitter in wake of the recent Black Lives Matter protests.
When asked by Daily Mail Australia on Monday if she would be addressing the scandal, the 43-year-old journalist chose not to respond.
Silence: On Monday, Sam Armytage declined to comment on the international backlash over a ‘racist’ Sunrise segment from 2015 that resurfaced over the weekend. Pictured outside the Big Brother compound in Manly, Sydney
Sam’s security went to great effort to keep the media away as she left the Big Brother compound in Manly, Sydney, after a special broadcast of Sunrise.
As the breakfast show finished filming, the guards moved several barriers so they could drive their car as close to the studio door as possible.
This meant that Sam would not have to walk past the media to the general car park. Her co-host David ‘Kochie’ Koch did not receive the same special treatment.
He also refused to comment on the backlash on Monday morning.
Brave face? The clip, where she congratulated a white woman on her skin-tone, has amassed 4.6 million views on Twitter in wake of the recent Black Lives Matter protests
Security: When asked by Daily Mail Australia if she’d be addressing the scandal as she finished filming Sunrise in Sydney on Monday, the 43-year-old chose not to respond
Both presenters had trended on Twitter on Sunday as the video resurfaced of the Sam congratulating a white woman on her skin tone.
The controversial Sunrise interview, which originally aired in 2015, featured British mixed-race twins Lucy and Mary Alymer. Sam introduced them separately.
‘Maria has taken after her half-Jamaican mum with dark skin and brown eyes and curly dark hair, but Lucy got her dad’s fair skin, good on her, along with straight red hair and blue eyes,’ she said at the time.
Distance: As she finished filming Sunrise at the Big Brother house, Samantha’s security moved several barriers so they could drive her car as close to the studio door as possible
Keeping quiet: This meant Samantha wouldn’t have to walk past the media to her car. Her co-host David Koch (pictured) did not receive the same treatment. He also refused to comment
Kochie seemed taken aback by the comment, and gave a confused glance in Sam’s direction.
In the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests, the segment has been widely circulated on Twitter and re-published by international news websites.
Sam had previously apologised for the comment days after the initial controversy.
Backlash: Samantha and Kochie both trended on Twitter on Sunday as a video from 2015 resurfaced of the Australian TV host congratulating a white woman on her skin-tone
‘Good on her’: During her interview, Samantha introduced the mixed-race twins (pictured) from the UK separately, and appeared to congratulate one twin on her fair completion
She told Daily Mail Australia at the time: ‘I would be mortified if anyone thought I would say or think anything racist.
‘It’s not in my nature. To anyone who I might have offended, I’m sorry.’
A Seven spokesperson added: ‘Regular members of the Sunrise audience or anyone who has seen the clip in full will know that Sam was taking a dig at herself.
‘She frequently jokes about the fair skin that runs in her family and difficult it can be to manage in extreme environments.’
Backlash: In the past few days the clip has been shared thousands of times on Twitter, with many mistakingly believing it to be recent and accusing the host of ‘casual racism’
‘I would be mortified if anyone thought I would say or think anything racist. It’s not in my nature’: Samantha apologised for the remark in 2015, but the scandal has resurfaced
In the past few days, the 2015 footage has been shared thousands of times on Twitter, with some mistakenly believing it to be recent.
Some activists have claimed the video is an example of ‘white privilege’ and ‘casual racism’.
Meanwhile, Sam has set her Instagram account to private and hasn’t posted anything for three days.
Trending: Both Samantha and Kochie were trending in Australia on Twitter on Sunday. The clip has now amassed 4.6 million views on Twitter in just a couple of days
Silent: Samantha has set her Instagram page to private amid the international backlash