“Too Soon?!” Samantha Armytage Sparks MASSIVE Outrage After a BRUTAL On-Air Swipe at Danika Mason’s Drunk Moment!
Samantha Armytage kicked off her first official day as Today co-host with a cheeky joke at colleague Danika Mason’s expense, and viewers were quick to weigh in on whether she had gone too far.
Samantha Armytage has wasted no time making headlines on her first day behind the Today desk after taking a playful swipe at colleague Danika Mason’s infamous on-air “drunk” moment.
The 49-year-old television presenter made her debut as fill-in co-host alongside Michael Willesee Jr. on Monday, with one light-hearted exchange quickly becoming a talking point among viewers.
The moment unfolded during a live weather cross from Mount Buller in Victoria, where weather presenter Tim Davies was learning about the resort’s snowmaking equipment.
Samantha Armytage has wasted no time making headlines on her first day behind the Today desk after taking a playful swipe at colleague Danika Mason’s infamous on-air “drunk” moment. Picture: Nine
As the segment wrapped up, one resort representative joked the machines were actually “lovely margarita machines”, adding that visitors could even take the snow home at the end of the day.
Back in the studio, Willesee Jr. laughed as he wondered whether the equipment could genuinely be used to make the popular cocktail.
“It looks beautiful. I wonder if it actually would work as a margarita machine?” he said.
Armytage replied: “The snowmaker? Yeah, I don’t know. Ask Danika. Danika, how does it work? Too soon?”
Mason appeared to laugh along with the joke. Picture: Nine
“No. But she’s an expectant mother,” the Golden Bachelor host added quickly, prompting Mason to laugh along with the joke.
The sports presenter is expecting her first child with partner Liam Knight in December.
Armytage’s remark appeared to reference Mason’s viral moment at the Winter Olympics in Italy earlier this year.
During a live cross from the Italian Alps in February, the 35-year-old sports presenter appeared to slur her words while speaking with then-Today hosts Karl Stefanovic and Jayne Azzopardi.
She later apologised for the incident, admitting she “shouldn’t have had a drink” before going on air.
Although Mason appeared to take the joke in good spirits, viewers were split over whether Armytage had crossed the line.
“Should be lifting each other up. Not tearing colleagues down,” one user wrote. Another commented: “Mean girl vibes.”
Channel 9 star Danika Mason appeared to be drunk on air during her live cross from the Winter Olympics. Picture: Today/Channel 9
Others, however, found the exchange hilarious, with one penning: “That’s hilarious well played Today team. They are all looking quite schmik and relaxed together, I like the new line up it’s a refreshing change.”
Armytage later found herself at the centre of another awkward moment when her phone alarm unexpectedly rang during the live broadcast.
The program had just returned from a series of news bulletins when the former Sunrise host was seen quickly reaching for her phone.
“Good morning! Happy Monday. It’s all happening – my alarm just went off on my phone because this is the time I normally get up,” Armytage laughed.
Willesee Jr. was quick to tease his new co-host: “Her alarm, right on the start time of the show. Just to remind Sam that she had to be on the show this morning.”
Armytage later found herself at the centre of another awkward moment when her phone alarm unexpectedly rang during the live broadcast. Picture: Nine
The veteran presenter had spent the weekend building excitement for her first appearance, urging her Instagram followers to tune in.
“Tomorrow morning, I’m gonna be sliding into that Today show co-hosting chair for a fill-in,” she said in a video shared on Sunday.
“I hope, if you can, you might turn your telly on and have a look, because the thing about, doing, well, listen, the kookaburras are laughing at my jokes.
“The thing about doing this thing, if no-one’s watching, it really is a complete waste of makeup… so I hope we see you in the morning.”
Armytage and Willesee Jr. are filling in for Sarah Abo, who welcomed her first child last week before beginning maternity leave, and Karl Stefanovic, who exited the program following his controversial interview with Tommy Robinson on his podcast.
Nine has not yet confirmed who will permanently lead the breakfast show- however, the hosting shake-up comes amid reports another presenter was dropped from the line-up at the last minute.
According to The Australian’s Media Diary, Brisbane presenter Joel Dry had been expected to spend the week co-hosting Today alongside Armytage before his planned stint was scrapped.
The publication claimed Dry had been lined up for what would have been his first on-air screen test for the high-profile breakfast television role before he was replaced by Michael Willesee Jr.
Media Diary also reported that Armytage had raised concerns about Dry’s “suitability” for the role and was reluctant to present alongside what the publication described as a “cut-price Karl”.
According to the report, Dry had been preparing to negotiate a new salary after believing he was firmly in contention for the coveted role before being informed late last week that he would no longer be required in the Sydney studio.