Fans throw their support behind Samantha Armytage after Kochie & Nat weren’t invited to her farewell

Fans have publicly backed former Sunrise host Samantha Armytage, after David ‘Kochie’ Koch and Natalie Barr revealed they weren’t invited to her lavish farewell party earlier this month. 

After the current Sunrise hosts admitted on The Kyle and Jackie O Show this week that they weren’t even told about her luncheon at Sydney’s Catalina restaurant, Sam’s supporters told the pair to ‘get over it.’

‘She invited who she wanted… who would invite you two… get over it,’ one fan scathingly wrote on Facebook. 

In her corner: This week, fans threw their support behind Samantha Armytage and told Sunrise’s David ‘Kochie’ Koch and Natalie Barr to ‘get over it’ after they revealed they weren’t invited to her farewell party earlier this month

‘Get a life off TV,’ another wrote. 

Another remarked: ‘Who cares. Sam will be enjoying life now. Gorgeous lady.’ 

However, some fans thought Sam should have extended an invite to her former Sunrise colleagues. 

Spilling the beans: Kochie and Natalie Barr were not invited to former anchor Sam's farewell party, which took place on March 11. The pair were grilled about Sam's departure on The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Thursday, and Kochie, 65, admitted that he and Natalie, 53, weren't even told about the dinner at Catalina Restaurant in Sydney's Rose Bay

Spilling the beans: Kochie and Natalie Barr were not invited to former anchor Sam’s farewell party, which took place on March 11. The pair were grilled about Sam’s departure on The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Thursday, and Kochie, 65, admitted that he and Natalie, 53, weren’t even told about the dinner at Catalina Restaurant in Sydney’s Rose Bay

‘That was very ungracious of Sam. She should have invited them out of courtesy,’ one follower remarked.   

Kochie and Natalie Barr were not invited to former anchor Sam’s farewell party, which took place after her last day on March 11.

The pair were grilled about Sam’s departure on The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Thursday, and Kochie, 65, admitted that he and Natalie, 53, weren’t even told about the dinner at Catalina Restaurant in Sydney’s Rose Bay.

While they didn’t attend, several Channel Seven identities were there, including The Morning Show presenter Kylie Gillies.

‘Why didn’t you two go to Sam’s farewell party?’ radio host Kyle Sandilands asked. ‘All the photographers were there, but I didn’t see you there.’

Saying goodbye: While they didn't attend, several Channel Seven identities were there, including The Morning Show presenter Kylie Gillies

Saying goodbye: While they didn’t attend, several Channel Seven identities were there, including The Morning Show presenter Kylie Gillies

Kochie then let slip they hadn’t been invited.

‘We didn’t know about it and we had a postponed Christmas party the next day,’ he said, noting that the Sunrise team is strict about events because of their early starts.  

Natalie added: ‘And we had been having champagne in the office for a while.’

The pair also strongly denied rumours Sam had been forced to leave Seven’s top-rating breakfast show. 

Kochie denied Sam had been pushed out, saying she ‘just wanted a change of life’ after marrying Bowral businessman Richard Lavender.

Denying it: The pair also strongly denied rumours Sam had been forced to leave Seven's top-rating breakfast show

Denying it: The pair also strongly denied rumours Sam had been forced to leave Seven’s top-rating breakfast show

‘No, no, Sam just wanted a change of life, she got married,’ he said. 

Natalie and Kochie weren’t the only Sunrise stars absent from Sam’s send-off, as newsreader Edwina Bartholomew and weatherman Sam Mac also didn’t attend.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported on March 8 that Sam and Kochie’s professional relationship had hit an ‘all-time low’ in the months before her resignation.

Network sources claimed they barely spoke off camera, and the dynamic between them had become ‘untenable’ by early 2021. 

New life: Kochie denied Sam had been pushed out, saying she 'just wanted a change of life' after marrying Bowral businessman Richard Lavender

New life: Kochie denied Sam had been pushed out, saying she ‘just wanted a change of life’ after marrying Bowral businessman Richard Lavender

No-show: Natalie and Kochie weren't the only Sunrise stars absent from Sam's send-off, as newsreader Edwina Bartholomew and weatherman Sam Mac also didn't attend

No-show: Natalie and Kochie weren’t the only Sunrise stars absent from Sam’s send-off, as newsreader Edwina Bartholomew and weatherman Sam Mac also didn’t attend

Sam’s farewell dinner came just hours after she used her last day on Sunrise to attack the media for treating her ‘unfairly’ during her eight-year tenure.

‘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,’ she said on March 11.

‘But today we move on from that, because there is a new chapter starting and it has been overwhelmingly a good experience in my life.’ 

Tension? The Sydney Morning Herald reported on March 8 that Sam and Kochie's professional relationship had hit an 'all-time low' in the months before her resignation

Tension? The Sydney Morning Herald reported on March 8 that Sam and Kochie’s professional relationship had hit an ‘all-time low’ in the months before her resignation

Sam arrived for her Sunrise send-off holding hands with her husband, Richard.

She later embraced the show’s executive producer, Michael Pell, in a rare display of unity after months of rumours they’d fallen out.

Sam had announced her resignation several days earlier, on March 8. 

Weeks earlier, she’d told the News Corp-owned Stellar magazine the TV industry was filled with ‘sociopaths and narcissists’.

Her remarks greatly upset her colleagues and executives at Seven, and were described by some insiders as tantamount to ‘career suicide’.

Making headlines: Weeks earlier, she'd told the News Corp-owned Stellar magazine the TV industry was filled with 'sociopaths and narcissists'. Her remarks greatly upset her colleagues and executives at Seven, and were described by some insiders as tantamount to 'career suicide'

Making headlines: Weeks earlier, she’d told the News Corp-owned Stellar magazine the TV industry was filled with ‘sociopaths and narcissists’. Her remarks greatly upset her colleagues and executives at Seven, and were described by some insiders as tantamount to ‘career suicide’