The Golden Bachelor took an emotional turn this week when host Samantha Armytage was brought to tears during a candid conversation about heartbreak.
What began as a light-hearted ladies’ lunch at the mansion soon unfolded into a poignant moment as several contestants opened up about the painful ends of their marriages.
Moved by their vulnerability, the 49-year-old host shared her own experience of heartbreak, hinting at the breakdown of her marriage to Richard Lavender last year. “It’s really hard,” she said through tears. “There’s no instruction manual on how to leave a marriage.”
“Everybody goes through shit. Life is hard and messy, there’s not a person on the planet who doesn’t feel like that or go through that,” she told the group.
“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.”
Sam, who quietly ended her marriage to Richard Lavender late last year, has been navigating both personal change and public curiosity.
The couple wed on his rural property in 2020 after meeting in 2019, but as she told Stellar, “We gave it a go. It didn’t work out, so we moved on. Last year was a big year with a lot of change and a lot of grief.”
Ahead of The Golden Bachelor’s premiere, rumours swirled that Samantha herself might be in line for the final rose. Now single, she’s taking the speculation in stride. Speaking on Nova’s Chrissie Swan Show, she laughed, “You can’t host the show and then steal the Golden Bachelor. That wouldn’t be much fun, would it?”
Still, the whispers only intensified when photos recently surfaced of Sam and Bear arriving at a Sydney hotel during filming.
The pair had been attending a charity gala together, which reportedly caused a ripple of jealousy behind the scenes.
Sam has consistently denied the rumours, and at Channel Nine’s 2026 programming launch she and Bear kept a courteous distance, possibly to quiet the speculation.
Rather than romance, what Sam has made clear is her admiration for Bear. In interviews, she has spoken of his kindness, his resilience after losing his wife Audrey 14 years ago, and the grace with which he raised his three sons.
At 61, Bear admits he was hesitant to join reality TV but ultimately saw it as a rare opportunity. The Golden Bachelor offers a more mature version of the franchise, bringing together singles in their 50s and 60s with real life experience, past heartbreak and genuine hopes for a second chance.
Following her divorce, Sam appears to be single and focused on her career. As for the rumours surrounding her and Bear, both insist they are simply close friends — though on a show built on roses, rivalry and romance, a little speculation is to be expected.
The Golden Bachelor airs on Sundays and Mondays at 7:30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
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