Samantha Armytage has signed a massive two-year deal with Farmer Wants A Wife and Channel Seven continues to make Natalie Gruzlewski her understudy.
The former Sunrise presenter replaced Natalie, 47, as host of the dating show last year, with Natalie appearing in a “reduced” role in the last two series.
Natalie had become a firm fan favorite by hosting the first eight seasons of the reality show from 2007 to 2012, before returning in 2020.
Amid the hosting shake-up, it was claimed Samantha, 47, signed a new contract with Channel Seven, pocketing another two years on the show.
It has been alleged that Natalie will continue in a ‘substitute’ role alongside Samantha, after she only appeared briefly in the 2024 series of the show.
Samantha Armytage (pictured) has signed a massive two-year deal with Farmer Wants A Wife and Channel Seven continues to make Natalie Gruzlewski her understudy.
The former Sunrise presenter replaced Natalie (pictured), 47, as host of the dating show last year, with Natalie appearing in a “reduced” role in the last two series.
A source told Daily Mail Australia: “This new contract with Channel Seven marks a new era for her at the network.”
“They had been using her on Farmer to burn through her old Sunrise contract, but since Sam and the network are happy with the role on Farmer Wants a Wife, this is a renegotiation that some said would never come.”
“With the show flying high, it was a great time to renegotiate and Samantha is looking forward to returning to regional Australia and creating new love stories,” they added.
The source insisted there will be no changes to the Farmer Wants A Wife host next year, despite many disgruntled fans calling for Natalie’s return to center stage.
They added that the format will remain the same for the 2025 series, after fans also complained that it was becoming like Married at First Sight with its high-drama season.
Amid the accommodation shake-up, it was claimed that Samantha, 47, has signed a new contract with Channel Seven, netting her another two years on the show.
‘There is no way the network will make any changes to the format next year. “The numbers have increased and, if anything, the public can expect next year to be even more dramatic,” the source said.
“It’s clear that a broader audience loves drama and the network will always chase ratings.”
‘Channel Seven is already doubling down on drama Farmer Wants a Wife with the upcoming Honeymoon Island.
‘The new reality show makes the Farmer drama look healthy. So if those fans are upset now, then they should hold on to their hats.”
The 2024 series of Farmer Wants A Wife was possibly the most dramatic and saw fan favorite Farmer Bert walk away alone after deciding he wasn’t ready for a relationship.
Samantha first joined the dating show as a ‘guest host’, but her minor role has now been expanded while Natalie is ‘reducing’ her duties.
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.
“Farmer Bert was really sweet and it was sad to see him treated like an accessory.”
Despite the changes, industry insiders suggest that Farmer Wants A Wife It will most likely eclipse the other programming scheduled for late 2024.
Farmer Wants A Wife reportedly increased by 16 per cent when Samantha joined the team in 2023 and has become Channel Seven’s highest-rated reality show.
It has been claimed that the show’s format will remain the same for the 2025 series, after fans also complained that it was becoming like Married at First Sight with its high drama season.
Farmer Bert walked away from the show solo, with insiders claiming he left because of all the “drama he had been forced to create on the show.”
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Seven for comment.
Samantha joined the dating show as a “guest host” but her minor role has since expanded and Natalie is “reducing” her duties.
After eight years as the show’s main host, Natalie now only makes brief appearances on the show as part of a segment called Nat’s Getaway.
Her much smaller role simply sees her visit the show to announce the exciting trips the budding couples will take in a bid to explore their romantic connections.
Natalie had become a fan favorite by hosting the first eight seasons of the reality show from 2007 to 2012, before returning in 2020, only to be replaced by Samantha this year.
Natalie said of her role: “It’s very special to help people find love, especially for farmers and women who have suffered heartbreak or found it difficult to navigate the dating world.”
A Seven executive previously told TV Tonight that Samantha and Natalie had indeed “swapped roles”.
Meanwhile, New Idea claimed the shakeup ruffled Natalie’s feathers after being the face of the show for years.
No one saw it coming, least of all Nat. She didn’t know the full extent of the role changes until recently – it was a bolt from the blue!’ a source told the publication.