Samantha Armytage has shared insight into what was really happening behind the scenes at Channel 7 before she quit.

Sam Armytage has opened up about her role on Sunrise, confessing that the role felt very “nuclear” for her.

Armytage stepped down from Seven in August last year following 21 years with the network after reportedly declining a new contract.

She hasn’t looked back on her last few years at the network very fondly, revealing in a new interview that as attention on her increased things began to feel incredibly unstable for her both personally and professionally.

Sam Armytage has opened up about what led to her ditching morning television. Picture: Newswire.
“I think the fact that I stepped out of Sunrise in 2021 tells you that I haven’t always dealt with that very well,” she told The Jess Rowe Big Talk Show podcast on LiSTNR.

“It didn’t sit comfortably with me for a long time … Clickbait became a thing, social media became a thing. “So I went from being a journalist to being the subject of the news, and things would happen in my past job, and there would be five people on the set, and the only person that got blamed for it was me. I got not blamed for it, but got the attention for it.”

She added, “That was a very nuclear show, Sunrise, and I was a seemingly very nuclear person at that time. “So it didn’t sit well with me because I used to think: ‘Why me?’”

She explained that the mounting headlines led to her ultimate decision to leave the show for good.

Armytage left Channel 7 after 21 years at the network. Picture: Supplied.
“What, why am I getting all the attention? So I stepped away,” she continued. “That was part of the reason. And I’ve had a few years now to sit quietly, sit with myself, grow up a bit, accept a few things, work out also very importantly, hear what I won’t tolerate … Well, this wonderful thing happens as you get older as a woman, as your estrogen begins to decrease, your tolerance for bullshit begins to decrease along with it. That’s actually a fact!”

Meanwhile, it comes after Armytage addressed the rumours which emerged last week about the former Sunrise host returning to breakfast TV and replacing Sarah Abo on the Today show as Karl Stefanovic’s co-host.

“I’m really happy in prime time. This is what I came to Channel 9 for,” said Armytage, who defected to Nine in October 2024, leaving the Seven Network after 21 years.

“I think Karl and Sarah are fabulous,” Armytage added on air. “This is where it’s at for me. I’m really happy. This is my show. It’s on air tonight. Finally. It’s been a few months because we filmed earlier in the year, so it’s been a long time to get here.”