“He’s a friend, and I’m the host.”

Samantha Armytage has made some very rare comments about her dating life.

The TV host, 49, has been single since splitting from her husband Richard Lavender late last year, and has been at the centre of speculation about her love life.

In August, the rumour mill was sent into overdrive when she stepped out at the Logie Awards with The Golden Bachelor star Barry “Bear” Myrden.

Barry rose to fame as Australia’s first Golden Bachelor on Channel Nine’s dating show, which Sam hosts, and fans were convinced something could be going on between them.
Samantha Armytage has insisted she is not involved with Barry “Bear” Myrden after they attended the 2025 Logie Awards together. (Credit: Getty)
However, Sam has now poured cold water over the rumours, insisting they are just friends.

“Well, you can’t host the show and then steal the Golden Bachelor. Hello. That wouldn’t be much fun, would it?” Sam said on Nova’s The Chrissie Swan Show.

“He’s a friend, and I’m the host, and he’s the golden bach. And there are 20 wonderful ladies who were just so excited to meet him.”

The 20 glamorous ladies vying for Bear’s attention on The Golden Bachelor were unveiled by Channel Nine on September 15 ahead of the show’s premiere later this year.

Speaking to hosts Chrissie Swan and Jack Charles, Sam insisted none of the women came on the show for “fame” but all genuinely wanted to find love.

“This is not like any show I’ve done before or seen before, because they’ve really, they’re not just coming into this for Instagram fame,” she said.
Sam is hosting The Golden Bachelor, where 20 women will be fighting for Bear’s heart. (Credit: Channel Nine)
“They really are looking for love, all of them, and they all have these wonderful stories to tell. They’ve lived a life. So they’ve got, you know, plenty of miles on their tyres, so they know what it’s about. They know what they’re looking for. They know what they won’t put up with.

“Some of them have had pretty horrible things happen in their lives. You know, they’re divorced or they’re widowed, and, of course, no one expects in their 50s and 60s, that’s where they’re going to be.

“So these women find themselves in these situations now, and they go, you know what? These boomers, they’re really powerful.”

Nine has yet to confirm the exact air date of The Golden Bachelor, but it is expected to arrive on TV before the end of 2025.

As well as being linked to Bear, Sam then sparked romance rumours with another man at the start of September.
Sam has been single since splitting from her husband Richard Lavender in December. (Credit: Instagram)
When she was pictured smiling alongside a male companion, fans hoped that Sam might have found love again.

However, New Idea exclusively learned that the man pictured with Sam was just a friend.

Sam has been single since splitting from her now ex-husband Richard late last year after four years of marriage.

“Yes, Richard and I have separated. All break-ups are hard, but it’s somewhat lessened by the fact that it’s amicable and we wish the best for each other,” Sam said in a statement at the time.