Natalie Barr's subtle swipe at Samantha Armytage
Working alongside each other for years, Sunrise's new host Natalie Barr saw the intense scrutiny her predecessor Samantha Armytage faced first-hand.
But now the veteran newsreader has taken a subtle jab at Armytage, who left the morning breakfast program in March after eight years at the show.
Barr said she was “ready” for the extra attention.
“I think people get sick of people who work in TV complaining about the attention,” told TV Week, appearing to reference Armytage who was outspoken about being “targeted” in the media and online.
“I’ve turned off all these notifications on my Twitter feed.
“I can block people in my DMs (direct messages). Or I report them, as everyone does that in the modern world. I think you’ve got to take that attitude.
“I’m sure people will write stuff I won’t like, or that’s incorrect. But people have worse lives. When they do (write things), I promise you I won’t complain.”
Armytage slammed trolls and the media, saying she was being bullied constantly, even blasting outlets in her final farewell speech for Sunrise.
At the end of her final show on air, Armytage thanked the cast and crew before saying: “I do want to say that I never fully understood some of the scrutiny and the snarkiness and the bullying from some aspects of the media, but today we move on from that because there is a new chapter starting. It has been overwhelmingly a good experience in my life.”
Armytage shocked viewers with a tearful announcement in March, saying that “the time has come for the sun to set on my time at Sunrise. I have always been very brave and fearless in my life and my career and this decision is no different”.
Barr was the favourite to move into Armytage’s chair after 18 years as the newsreader on Sunrise.