People were shocked when Samantha Armytage revealed that her marriage to equestrian businessman Richard Lavender came to an end.
Now, she has made a rare statement about what happened in an exclusive interview with Jess Rowe on her Big Talk Show podcast.
In a discussion about her love life, the 49-year-old made a candid comment about dating in the spotlight, and making sure who she dated next would truly be the man for her.
“I will be very good at choosing this time. Discernment is my new middle name…I’m getting better as I get older at being discerning.”
“You know what it’s like when you have a high profile, you don’t always attract the right types,” she added.
Samantha Armytage has lifted the lid on her shock divorce. (Credit: Getty)
The veiled comments come two weeks after a tell-all interview with Stellar where she discussed the end of her marriage.
“What I’ll say for my marriage [is] we gave it a go,” she explained.
“It didn’t work out, so we moved on. Last year was a big year.”
One major heartbreak for the journalist was the loss of her dog, Banjo, in 2024.
“There was a lot of change and a lot of grief, starting with the loss of my dog, Banjo. He was my baby, so that was an enormous grief,” she said.
“Then I had a total hip replacement and literally had to learn to walk again.
“I left my marriage, renovated a house from my hospital bed, changed TV networks, changed jobs. But I moved into 2025 in such a positive way. I feel this is my act two. I get another go here. Channel Nine saw that and offered me a great opportunity. So that’s perhaps art imitating life.”
Married for almost four years, the Golden Bachelor host and Channel Nine journalist announced the sad news in December 2024.
In a statement to the Daily Telegraph at the time, Sam addressed the end of her marriage.
“Yes, Richard and I have separated. All breakups are hard, but it’s somewhat lessened by the fact that it’s amicable and we wish the best for each other.”
At the time, it was reported that ongoing tensions between Richard’s two adult daughters from a former relationship and Sam were the reason behind the split.
The couple was last seen in public together at Sydney Airport in September 2024 after returning from a trip to Noosa.
Sam is currently single. (Credit: Getty) (Credit: Getty)
Several months later, an insider source revealed to the Daily Mail that the former Sunrise host had opened up about her personal heartbreak with contestants on the set of The Golden Bachelor, which wrapped filming in Sydney in late April.
“She was candid, vulnerable, and completely real. It left the mature-aged contestants stunned, and viewers are in for a side of Sam they never expected!” the source shared.
“Sam dropped her guard many times, sharing personal stories that encouraged the women to open up as well.”
“Producers often struggle to get TV presenters to let their barriers down, but Sam did it effortlessly,” another source close to production also told the publication.
Richard Lavender (left) and Sam Armytage (right) met around Easter, 2019, and in June of that year became engaged to be married. (Credit: Instagram)
The 49-year-old and her former beau Richard Lavender secretly tied the knot on New Year’s Eve in 2020, after being introduced by a mutual friend around Easter time in 2019 in New South Wales’ Southern Highlands.
Sparks flew immediately, with Sam admitting she was struck by Richard’s eyes as she confessed to our sister publication WHO that “there was an [immediate] connection”.
The feeling was mutual. Richard recalled in the same interview that “she had a sparkle in her eye.” He added: “She has a quick wit, a terrific sense of humour.”
Intensely private, Sam first went public with their relationship in a photoshoot and interview for WHO’s Sexiest People feature and revealed that her big attraction to Richard was the fact that he had “no idea” who she was when they first met.
“He’s very decent, very honest. I love that he’s so modest,” Sam gushed about Richard prior to their breakup. (Credit: Supplied)
However, a few weeks into their blossoming romance, the blonde beauty decided enough was enough and asked Richard, “Can you watch this show [Sunrise] once so you know what I actually do for a living?”
Sam also shared at the time that Richard was completely comfortable in his own skin, a trait that appealed to her.
“He doesn’t care what people think of him, which I admire greatly. He’s very decent, very honest. I love that he’s so modest,” she said.
Happier days. (Credit: Instagram)
Equestrian businessman Richard and TV host Sam divided their time between Sydney and the Southern Highlands, where Richard owns a 40-hectare property.
Nearby lies Sam’s $2.2 million five-bedroom country retreat, which she bought back in 2017.
As their love continued to blossom, Sam was snapped meeting Richard’s adult daughters, Grace and Sasha, in September 2019 after celebrating Richard’s 60th birthday with an intimate family lunch in Sydney.
Their romance stepped up a notch, and Sam solidified her place in the family when Richard popped the question and the smitten couple announced their engagement.
“It was very sweet, very romantic. He’s just a very charming, lovely fellow,” Sam said of the proposal. (Credit: Channel Seven)
Appearing on Sunrise for the first time after the news broke, Sam shared all the gorgeous details of the proposal live on-air.
The journalist explained the proposal was a very thoughtful, albeit understated, affair on her Southern Highlands property in NSW.
“We just had a little bonfire on the weekend in the paddock, it was all very low-key. Like Rich and I, very low-key,” she said.
Sam later added: “We’d been picking weeds in the paddock and he said, ‘Darling, do you want to marry me?’
“It was very sweet, very romantic. He’s just a very charming, lovely fellow.”
Sam’s engagement ring is rumoured to be worth $80,000. (Credit: Channel Seven)
Sam’s former co-host, David “Kochie” Koch, who has now retired from Sunrise, also made sure the bride-to-be gave viewers an up-close and personal look at her engagement ring.
Holding up her perfectly manicured hand to the camera, Sam flashed her new bling, which features an oversized diamond set on a classic white-gold band.
“Woah, Beyonce!” Kochie proclaimed of the ring, which is reportedly worth around $80,000, before joking, “Geez, I should have brought my sunglasses.”
Richard and Sam looked happier than ever as they spent time in Scone. (Credit: Instagram)
Despite COVID-19 restrictions throwing a spanner in the works of the planning of her big day, Sam finally walked down the aisle in a stunning Carla Zampatti dress on New Year’s Eve 2020 in a secret ceremony in the Southern Highlands.
In January 2021, Sam returned to work on Sunrise, and the newlywed shared new details of the wedding, revealing it was all a bit of a last-minute scramble.
“Three days before we decided we’d do it for New Year’s Eve,” Sam explained to her co-hosts. “We did it, we got it done, it was a little bit stressful for me, but Rich was very relaxed.”
“It was Dad, my dad, we were all sitting around, at Christmas time as you do, having a few drinks and Dad said because of COVID and everyone’s in lockdown… Dad said ‘Just do it!”
“This is what the next chapter looks like…” Sam captioned the shot. (Credit: Instagram)
Since the wedding, Sam had been hinting that there may come a time to step away from the small screen and swap Sydney for their Southern Highlands base.
“I don’t think any of us wants to do the same thing forever. There’s a lot about television that’s all about you, and that’s an awful way to live your life. TV isn’t a place that’s necessarily very healthy,” she told Stellar.
“It’s full of sociopaths and narcissists – it can be a dangerous environment, let me tell you.”
Sam has previously referred to her ex-husband as “sweeter than the sweetest rose.” (Credit: Instagram)
On March 3, 2021, it appeared Sam had had enough of Sunrise and sensationally quit her long-time role on the breakfast show.
“The time has come for the sun to set on my time at Sunrise,” she tearfully explained at the time. “I have always been brave and fearless in my career, and this decision is no different.”
She added, “I want to take a break and find some peace and calm. I go out of this job at a time of my own choosing and on top of the ratings, which not many people on television can say they do.”
Since stepping away from her high-profile gig, Sam seemed happier than ever with ex-hubby Richard as they lived a quieter life.
Just over a week after leaving Sunrise, the podcast host took to Instagram to share a photo of the happy couple beaming from ear to ear while posing inside a car.
“Edit your life frequently & ruthlessly. It’s your masterpiece after all.’ My mum.” Sam captioned the image. “And I did. And this is what the next chapter looks like.” She has since joined Channel Nine.
During the launch of Dan Murphy’s new lines of rose wine, Sam radiated happiness as she said her then-husband helped solidify her new path in life.
“I met a divine and decent man, sweeter than the sweetest rose,” she gushed at the event in February 2022.
“I found the love of my life at 42. How lucky am I? And I realised you do not find the happy life, you make it.”
While their relationship came to a sad conclusion in late 2024, we are certain that both Sam and Richard will find happiness again.
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