It seems that Sunrise host Natalie Barr is keeping a very close eye on her new breakfast TV rival, Samantha Armytage.
Barr, who was Armytage’s co-star for years before replacing her on Sunrise following her departure in 2021, suffered a social media fail last Friday when she was trying to show off her baby blue cardigan to her Instagram followers.
While posting a clip of the new wardrobe addition, she accidentally shared what was in the rest of her photo library, which included a picture of Armytage behind the desk at the Today show last week.
Barr quickly realised her mistake, with The Australian reporting that she deleted the photo from her Instagram Stories and replaced it with a new version, cropping Armytage out of the frame.
Barr and Armytage starred on Sunrise together for almost eight years, from June 2013 to March 2021, before Armytage resigned.
It seems that Sunrise host Natalie Barr is keeping a very close eye on her new breakfast TV rival, Samantha Armytage
While posting a clip of her new blue cardigan, she accidentally shared what was in the rest of her photo library, which included a picture of Armytage behind the desk at the Today show last week
Armytage made her debut on the Channel Nine show alongside Michael Willesee Jr. last Monday, and is said to be a shoo-in as Sarah Abo’s permanent replacement while she is on maternity leave
Barr took over as the main co-host in March 2021, presenting alongside David ‘Kochie’ Koch, before he left and Matt Shirvington replaced him.
Meanwhile, Nine has shuffled the deck at Today once again this week, with veteran reporter Mike Willesee Jr. removed from the show so 60 Minutes star Tom Steinfort can have a go in the hosting seat alongside Armytage.
Nine are racing to find permanent replacements for Karl Stefanovic, who was axed in June, and Abo while she is on maternity leave
Before becoming one of 60 Minutes’ most recognisable faces, Steinfort served as Today’s newsreader during the Deborah Knight and Georgie Gardner era in 2019, making him a familiar figure to the show’s viewers.
According to industry insiders, Steinfort is highly regarded by Nine management and remains a popular member of the Today team behind the scenes, with executives optimistic he and Armytage will strike the right chemistry on air.
The pairing is expected to be closely watched by network bosses (and clearly Barr), particularly as breakfast television remains one of the most fiercely contested battlegrounds.
While Nine is understood to be treating the arrangement as a temporary hosting solution, the chemistry between Armytage and Steinfort will inevitably come under scrutiny as executives continue searching for ways to improve the breakfast program’s ratings performance.
Fill-in hosts Armytage and Willesee were the subject of strong criticism from viewers this week, with some describing the pair as ‘drab and boring’.
Nine are racing to find permanent replacements for Karl Stefanovic, who left the show in June, and Abo while she is on maternity leave
‘Really turned me off my breakfast seeing Sam on Today,’ one person wrote.
‘I turned back to TODAY but no, new hosts [are] shockers. Love Jayne and Danika [Mason], Tim [Davies], and Dickie [Richard Wilkins]. Back to ABC,’ said another.
‘I flicked back to Nine this morning after weeks of watching Sunrise since Karl left. No joke, I lasted five secs before I turned it off. Can’t stand Samantha Armytage,’ a third commented.
‘Can somebody pls inform me when Sam is no longer on so I can switch back,’ someone else said.
‘What in the world am I watching? I usually watch Sunrise, but due to the Comm Games have switched to Today. Well what a shocking breakfast program,’ one user penned.
‘I have never watched anything so drab and boring in my life. None of your presenters have any connection with each other. They are like a bunch of strangers sitting at a table trying to make conversation. DULL DULL DULL.’
‘Get rid of these two, they are so boring,’ yet another agreed.
However, some viewers appeared to enjoy seeing Armytage and Willesee in the Today anchor seats.
‘Great pairing. Professional presentation and credible journalists,’ one said.
‘Mike W great presenter and knowledgeable journalist,’ another added.
