Samantha Armytage has been moved to tears as she opened up about heartbreak during a powerful conversation on The Golden Bachelor.
The host of Nine’s new dating series took a moment to reflect on grief as she held a ladies’ lunch with some 15 bachelorettes vying for 61-year-old widower Barry ‘Bear’ Myrden’s heart on Monday evening’s third episode.
Armytage alluded to her own marriage breakdown with her husband of four years, equestrian businessman Richard Lavender, in 2024 as the contestants shared their personal stories of separation and divorce.
“Everybody goes through s**t,” the host said.
“Life is hard and messy, there’s not a person on the planet who doesn’t feel like that or go through that.
“You kind of wear it like a badge of honour.
“I know I wear some of my grief now like a badge of honour. You’ve been through crap – you’ve survived it.”
Armytage’s voice broke as she added: “There’s no instruction manual on how to leave a marriage, I’m saying this from firsthand experience.”
Her admission came as front-runner Jan opened up about how she discovered her ex-husband’s three-year affair on her 40th birthday.
Among the heartfelt stories was Terri’s, who, through tears, said she learned about her ex-husband’s girlfriend after he introduced her to their children without Terri’s knowledge while they were still married.
Armytage offered her sympathies to the women after saying she was optimistic about finding love again on the Tess Rowe Big Talk Show.
“Of course I’ll find love again,” Armytage said on the podcast last week.
“I mean, I’m keeping my options open.
“I am fine. Don’t worry about me, I’m having fun as always.”
The former Sunrise presenter added while she was not actively searching for a new man in her life, she would be picky when he comes along.
“I will find love again for sure. I don’t know when. When the time is right, he will arrive. And I’ll be very good at choosing this time,” she said.
While she waits for Mr Right, Armytage and Golden Bachelor sparked romance rumours after the pair attended the Logies together in August.
Armytage walked the red carpet in an eye-catching champagne tulled gown with a very dapper-looking Bear on her arm at TV’s night of nights.
However, Bear put the rumours to rest at the Golden Bachelor premiere in Sydney last Monday where he gushed about Armytage’s professionalism.
“Yeah, well, that’s to be expected,” he told Daily Mail of the claims.
“Let’s just say they are rumours.
“She (Armytage) was sensational… I used her as a mentor the whole way through, and she said, ‘follow your heart,’ which I did.”
Armytage announced her split from Lavender, 61, last December, just weeks before their fourth wedding anniversary.
“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,” she said in a statement to The Daily Telegraph.
“I appreciate you respecting our privacy. I won’t be making any further comment.”
The split shocked some industry insiders after Armytage told Woman’s Day she quit her plum role hosting Sunrise to live at Lavender’s 40-hectare estate in NSW’s Southern Highlands.
It is understood the journalist has since decamped back to Sydney’s eastern suburbs.