Channel Seven hits back at Sam Armytage over snarky Natalie Barr tweet

Seven hits back at Sam Armytage: TV insider blasts rogue ex-Sunrise host after her snarky tweet claiming Natalie Barr was always desperate for her job


A Channel Seven insider has blasted former Sunrise host Samantha Armytage after she tweeted last Monday that her successor Natalie Barr wanted her job ‘forever’.

The tweet ‘went down like a lead balloon’ at Seven, the source told The Australian, adding that it was especially rich coming from Sam, who often complained about snarkiness in the media before retiring to the Southern Highlands in March.

‘When she left Sunrise, Sam said she wanted to get away from the attention. But the only one creating the attention around her is Sam,’ the insider said. 

Channel Seven hits back at Samantha Armytage (pictured): A network insider has blasted the ex-Sunrise host’s claims Natalie Barr always wanted her job

‘And her accusation that Nat wanted the job “forever” is so untrue. She never did,’ the source said.

Sam made headlines last Monday when she criticised Natalie on Twitter for continuing to speak about her in the press, three months after taking over as anchor of Seven’s breakfast show.

She was responding to an interview Natalie had done with The Australian Women’s Weekly in which she claimed the pair weren’t friends outside the workplace. 

Hitting back: An insider told The Australian: 'When she left Sunrise, Sam (left) said she wanted to get away from the attention. But the only one creating the attention around her is Sam. And her accusation that Nat (right) wanted the job "forever" is so untrue'

Hitting back: An insider told The Australian: ‘When she left Sunrise, Sam (left) said she wanted to get away from the attention. But the only one creating the attention around her is Sam. And her accusation that Nat (right) wanted the job “forever” is so untrue’

'Nat's wanted the job forever... and she's finally got it': Sam last Monday criticised Natalie on Twitter for continuing to speak about her in the press, three months after taking over as anchor

‘Nat’s wanted the job forever… and she’s finally got it’: Sam last Monday criticised Natalie on Twitter for continuing to speak about her in the press, three months after taking over as anchor

After brushing off a question about their rivalry on The Kyle and Jackie O Show, Sam tweeted: ‘Look, I’m out. Nat’s wanted the job forever… and she’s finally got it. She just needs to get on and enjoy it – and forget about me (even though I’m unforgettable),’ Sam tweeted, adding the hashtag #PeaceOut.

Natalie was reportedly ‘gutted’ by her predecessor’s hurtful tweet.

On Monday, a source told New Idea the 53-year-old was not expecting Sam to be so ‘snarky’ after they’d worked together on Seven’s breakfast show for years.

‘No one was more shocked and saddened over Sam’s comments than Nat,’ the insider claimed.

'She is gutted': Natalie (pictured) was reportedly 'gutted' by her predecessor Sam's hurtful tweet

‘She is gutted’: Natalie (pictured) was reportedly ‘gutted’ by her predecessor Sam’s hurtful tweet

‘She is gutted and has no idea why the snarkiness continues, even though Sam has been gone [from Sunrise] for months.’

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Seven for comment and clarification.

Sam was co-anchor of Sunrise from June 2013 until March this year, when she stepped down to spend more time with her family. Natalie, the show’s longtime newsreader, replaced her the week following her departure.

New chapter: Sam stepped down as host of Sunrise in March to spend more time with her husband, equestrian businessman Richard Lavender

New chapter: Sam stepped down as host of Sunrise in March to spend more time with her husband, equestrian businessman Richard Lavender

Nat vs Sam: a timeline of their feud 

July 2019: Nat jokingly calls Sam ‘a b***h-faced moll’ when asked if she’s as ‘nice’ as she appears to be on Sunrise.

March 2021: Sunrise co-host David Koch reveals he and Nat weren’t told about Sam’s star-studded farewell lunch at Catalina restaurant in Sydney’s Rose Bay.

March 2021: Nat is rankled by Sam’s claims that married women with children aren’t expected to work as hard in their careers.

April 2021: Sam reveals she hasn’t spoken to any of her former colleagues since leaving Sunrise a month earlier.

May 2021: It’s discovered that Sam doesn’t follow Nat or Kochie on Instagram, despite following many other former Seven colleagues.

June 17, 2021: Nat tells The Australian Women’s Weekly she and Sam were never friends outside of Sunrise.

June 21, 2021: Sam refuses to answer a question about their rumoured feud during an interview on The Kyle and Jackie O Show, and simply says: ‘It’s better to be talked about than not.’

June 21, 2021: Sam later tweets that Nat has ‘wanted her job forever’ and urges her to ‘just get on and enjoy it – and forget about me’.