Samantha Armytage seemed to be in good spirits as she did some essential Christmas shopping on Thursday.
The new Today Show fill-in host, 48, appeared to be preparing to celebrate Christmas with loved ones after splitting from husband Richard Lavender.
She flashed a big smile while purchasing a case of Louis Auger French Champagne, which sells for $46.99 a bottle, ahead of the holiday season.
Samantha, who is newly single after her and Richard’s split, looked effortlessly chic in a smart blue shirt and black wide-leg pants.
She stayed comfortable in a pair of white slip-on sandals and protected her eyes with dark black sunglasses as she ran her errands.
The former Channel Seven star looked to be in great shape as he smiled from ear to ear as he took her shopping to his car.
Samantha Armytage seemed to be in good spirits as she did some essential Christmas shopping on Thursday.
The new Today Show fill-in host, 48, appeared to be preparing to celebrate Christmas with loved ones after splitting from husband Richard Lavender.
Samantha was also seen taking a call at one point and flashed a big smile as she chatted to someone on the phone.
It’s unknown how Samantha will celebrate the Christmas period, but she will no doubt catch up with her family and friends.
It will be her first Christmas since her split from equestrian businessman Richard, 61, on the eve of their fourth wedding anniversary.
samantha She started dating Richard in April 2019 and announced their engagement in June 2020.
The couple then married on their 40-hectare property in the picturesque Southern Highlands of New South Wales on New Year’s Eve that same year.
But earlier this month, sources revealed their split exclusively to Daily Mail Australia, with Samantha later confirming they had split “amicably.”
‘Yes, Richard and I have separated. “All breakups are difficult, but they are alleviated a little by the fact that they are amicable and we wish each other the best,” Samantha told the media.
‘I appreciate you respecting our privacy. “I will not comment further.”
She flashed a big smile while purchasing a case of Louis Auger French Champagne, which sells from $46.99 a bottle, ready for the holiday season.
Samantha, who is newly single after her and Richard’s split, looked effortlessly chic in a smart blue shirt and black wide-leg pants.
Samantha flashed a big smile as she chatted to someone on the phone as she left the shops.
She stayed comfortable in a pair of white sandals and protected her eyes with dark black sunglasses as she ran her errands.
The former Channel Seven star looked to be in great shape as he smiled from ear to ear as he took her shopping to his car.
It is understood that Samantha’s TV presenter friends had been comforting the star behind the scenes for some time.
Samantha and Richard were last seen together on September 5, when they returned to Sydney Airport after a trip together to Noosa.
Samantha is no longer followed on Instagram by Richard’s two daughters, Sascha and Grace, although the former couple still follow each other.
It’s been a big period of change for Samantha as she also left Channel Seven after 21 years at the network earlier this year.
The former Farmer Wants A Wife presenter then made the sensational move to rival network Nine and has already made her on-screen debut on the channel.
On Monday, Samantha joined the Today Show as a summer fill-in host and made a big impression on viewers during her first episode.
The veteran host kicked off the show by sharing a flirtatious exchange with her co-host Dan Anstey.
After introducing himself to viewers, Sam recalled his first meeting with Dan at the Melbourne Cup.
Samantha carried her essentials in a cream-colored bag as she flashed a smile as she ran pre-Christmas errands.
He got ready for the holidays as he loaded boxes of champagne into his car ahead of the celebrations.
Samantha showed off her stunning features in a glamorous makeup palette, including matte pink lipstick.
He spared no expense on his Christmas shopping as he also loaded another bag of groceries into his car.
It is unknown how Samantha will celebrate the Christmas period but she will no doubt catch up with her family and friends.
‘I can’t remember that. How was I? asked.
“You were handsome as always,” Sam replied, laughing, before Dan said, “He was a different person.” You confused me with another Dan.
‘Yes, indeed I have. We’ll talk about that later, but it’s nice to see you all here,” Sam responded quickly before presenting the news headlines.
Viewers have already called for Samantha and Dan to permanently replace Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo on the show while praising the duo for their cheerful and good-natured presenting styles.
While Nine has insisted that Samantha’s role on Today is purely seasonal, speculation is rife that it could be a test to see if she is the right person to join Today permanently.
Nine were reportedly plunged into back-to-back crisis meetings following the decision to bring Samantha onto the Today show.
The move also sparked outrage among longtime staff, with insiders alleging the decision created tension behind the scenes and left many feeling snubbed.
“There have been back-to-back crisis meetings since Sam signed,” a source told Women’s Day earlier this month.
It will be her first Christmas since her split from equestrian businessman Richard (both pictured October 2021), 61, on the eve of their fourth wedding anniversary.
“The big bosses didn’t listen to the team when they opposed Sam’s addition.”
Meanwhile, a well-placed source told Daily Mail Australia that Nine has strategic reasoning behind Samantha’s appointment.
“Let’s not pretend this isn’t about ratings,” they said.
‘If Sam can pull Today out of Sunrise’s shadow, even for a week, the network will see it as a victory. For Sam, it’s about proving she’s still the queen of breakfast TV.”
A major source of resentment towards its new network is the perception that Nine’s existing talent has been overlooked.