Samantha Armytage 'blindsided' as Channel Seven producers eye ex-husband Richard Lavender for Farmer Wants A Wife revamp

Daily Mail​

4 hours ago

Samantha Armytage has been left blindsided by reports her ex-husband Richard Lavender is being courted by Channel Seven producers to appear in an upcoming season of Farmer Wants A Wife.
According to New Idea, executives at the network are quietly eyeing the 65-year-old equestrian businessman as a 'dream farmer' for the revamped 2026 season - a move insiders say has deeply unsettled the former host.
Armytage, 48, was previously the face of the hit reality dating series before jumping ship to Channel Nine last year to host The Golden Bachelor - making the timing and choice of casting even more controversial.
'Sam wouldn't love the idea of Richard being involved in Farmer,' a source told the outlet. 'In fact, she would probably see it as a bit of an insult.'
The couple tied the knot in an intimate ceremony at Lavender's Southern Highlands property on New Year's Eve in 2020, but quietly called it quits last December - just shy of their four-year anniversary.
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Daily Mail Australia revealed the split in December, with sources at the time suggesting growing tensions within the blended family, including reported clashes with Lavender's adult daughters, may have contributed to the breakdown of the marriage.
Now, producers are said to be keen to freshen up Farmer Wants A Wife by casting older farmers and dialling down the drama - a strategic move to rival the success of Nine's The Golden Bachelor, which coincidentally stars Armytage.
'Production doesn't want the format becoming stale,' a network insider told New Idea. 'They're desperate to give the show a fresh new look and format in a bid to rival its growing competitors.'
But the idea of her private ex-husband now stepping into the very spotlight he avoided during their marriage has reportedly left the TV host rattled.
'She's been living quietly and focusing on her new role, so the idea of Richard being pulled into the media circus like this – and on her old show, no less – would hit a nerve,' one television insider said.
Armytage herself recently hinted at a quiet love life, telling The Daily Telegraph there wasn't 'much to write home about' and that she was 'living vicariously' through her work on The Golden Bachelor.
Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Seven and Armytage's representative's for comment.
The couple's split, following Armytage's departure from Seven, has been a topic of industry speculation, particularly regarding tensions allegedly brewing between Lavender's adult children and the TV personality.
In December, Armytage sensationally announced she had split from the equestrian businessman, 65, on the eve of their four-year wedding anniversary.
The couple tied the knot at his 40-hectare property in the picturesque Southern Highlands in NSW on New Year's Eve in 2020.
Well-placed sources revealed news of their split exclusively to Daily Mail Australia, with Armytage then confirming they had 'amicably' gone their separate ways.
As the current season of FWAW draws to a close, Channel Seven has announced the dating series will be back on our screens in 2026 and applications are officially open.
The network took to social media last month to share the exciting news, urging single farmers from across Australia to head online and apply for their chance at finding love.
In a move sure to delight fans, producers confirmed they are on the hunt for 'all single farmers' to star in the show's upcoming sixteenth season.
To be eligible for the show, applicants must be at least 21 years old and are required to disclose any past or present criminal charges.
Budding reality stars will also need to be available for filming from early October to mid-December 2025, with the highly anticipated reunion episode set to film over three days in January 2026.