Samantha Armytage has apparently dealt another thinly veiled blow to her former employers Channel Seven after joining rival network Nine.
The outgoing Farmer Wants A Wife host, 48, was unveiled as the host of Nine’s new dating show The Golden Bachelor at Upfronts on Thursday after weeks of rumours.
His move to Channel Nine comes after he shocked fans by leaving rival Seven in August after 21 years at the network in a big career move.
Now she has apparently savaged her former employers Seven when she took to Instagram on Friday to share a post celebrating her new job at Nine.
Sharing a photo of herself at Upfronts, Samantha extraordinarily said her move to Nine was like “coming home”, citing her first job as a reporter at the network in 1998.
He also said clearly that “a little piece of his heart” has always been with Nine throughout his long career, despite spending more than 20 years working for rival Seven.
Samantha wrote: ‘Well this is a bit surprising isn’t it? A wonderful change, a new beginning and a new network for me.
“I’m delighted to be joining @channel9 and feel a bit like I’m coming home – my first reporting job after university in 1998 was at WIN TV in Canberra, so a part of my heart has been with the family 9 throughout my professional career.’
Samantha Armytage has apparently dealt another thinly veiled blow to her former employers Channel Seven after joining rival network Nine.
Sharing a photo of herself at Upfronts, Samantha extraordinarily said her move to Nine was like “coming home”, citing her first job as a reporter at the network in 1998.
The TV presenter went on to reveal details about her new job as host of The Golden Bachelor, which hits screens on Nine next year.
She continued: ‘My new show is THE GOLDEN BACHELOR, coming in 2025, and I’m so excited to continue playing Cupid on TV, but this time for a more… ummm mature audience (if you’re in your fabulous 50s or 50s). years). 60 years old, single and looking for true love again. Apply now OR nominate someone you know.)
‘It’s THE biggest show in America and I know it’s going to be huge here. I can’t wait to start filming.
‘Join me on this wild ride, thank you for the warm welcome…and let’s get to 2025!’
It’s not the first time Samantha has apparently taken aim at her former employers Seven when she made a revealing comment while gushing about her new role at Nine.
talking to 9EntertainmentSamantha said The Golden Bachelor is about finding “real love” in an apparent jab at her previous show Farmer Wants A Wife.
“You’re looking for some romance and you’re looking for true love,” he said in a seemingly scathing comment. “It’s about finding true love.”
“I’m really excited about this show, it’s been huge in America and I have a feeling it’s going to be huge in Australia too.”
The former FWAW presenter also said clearly that “a little piece of her heart” has always been with Nine throughout her long career, despite spending more than 20 years working for rival Seven.
The Golden Bachelor offers people in their 50s and 60s the chance to find their second chance at love and will premiere on Nine sometime in 2025.
Samantha’s comments could be seen as a dig at her former Seven show, Farmer Wants a Wife, after viewers criticized the show’s 2024 season for being “staged”.
On social media when the 2024 series aired, fans of the dating show criticized the producers, claiming they were “trying to make the show like MAFS”.
“I think the new producer is trying to make the show like MAFS,” wrote one social media user.
‘They can edit it however they want and make both men and women look like something they are not. All the kissing etc. this year and the sexual innuendos are more like MAFS than in previous seasons.
“It will be the end of the show if they keep pushing for it to be another MAFS,” another user agreed.
“I agree with all of these statements, especially after watching the first few seasons when it was ACTUALLY a great show and was actually about farmers finding love, not trying to imitate MAFS,” another commented.
The outgoing Farmer Wants A Wife host, 48, was unveiled as the host of Nine’s new dating show The Golden Bachelor at Upfronts on Thursday after weeks of rumours.
The 2024 series was possibly the most dramatic and saw fan favorite Farmer Bert walk away alone after deciding he wasn’t ready for a relationship.
However, it was later stated that he left the series due to all the “drama he had been forced to create on the show.”
“He was no longer more than a puppet to his farm producers, who continued to push him and the women to create drama,” a source told Yahoo Lifestyle.
Outgoing Farmer Wants A Wife presenter Samantha shocked fans in August when she left Seven after 21 years, with many rumors surrounding her next move.
And finally his new television gig on The Golden Bachelor was announced. at Nine’s Upfronts, where the network’s 2025 programming schedule was revealed to guests.
‘I think everyone is going to love this. It’s love for the golden ages,” Samantha told 9Entertainment about her new TV show.
‘When I got the call to join the show, I didn’t hesitate. (The Golden Bachelor) has been huge in America and I have a feeling it will be huge in Australia too.’
“We are beyond excited to welcome Samantha Armytage to Nine as the new host of our quest for love, the Golden Bachelor, where everyone deserves a second chance at love,” added Liana Dubois, Nine’s chief marketing officer.
Samantha’s new contract with Nine is rumored to be worth a “significant amount”, according to sources, but no exact figures have been released.
The first US version of The Golden Bachelor starred 72-year-old widower and father-of-two Gerry Turner (pictured with Leslie Fhima on the show) and was hugely popular on ABC.
Warner Bros Australia first sparked speculation about a local version of the show in November 2023 when they invited ‘fun, active and outgoing older men aged 60 and over who are divorced or widowed’ to take part in a new dating series. .
‘We want to hear from you or anyone who would like to nominate someone you know to take part in the programme. “We want to celebrate love at all ages and show that when it comes to finding love and romance, age is just a number,” they added.
The first American version of The Golden Bachelor starred widower and father of two Gerry Turner, 72, and a version of Golden Bachelorette was later released with widow Joan Vassos, 61, looking to find love .
The American version of the show has been hugely successful, with its finale earning 6.1 million viewers, making it the most-watched final episode of the American Bachelor series since 2021.