Latest news with #ChannelSeven
Daily Mail
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Samantha Armytage's ex-husband Richard Lavender tipped to land a spot on revamped Farmer Wants A Wife
Channel Seven is preparing a major revamp of its beloved dating show Farmer Wants A Wife and it seems they have their sights set on a surprising candidate. The network is reportedly eager to land former host Samantha Armytage 's estranged husband Richard Lavender. The former couple called time on their relationship in December, shortly before their fourth anniversary. The move is part of a larger scheme to inject new life into the 2026 season by featuring older farmers to compete with Channel Nine's The Golden Bachelor—now hosted by Armytage. Armytage's departure from Seven last year to join Nine's The Golden Bachelor added another twist to the unfolding drama, setting the stage for a potential clash between the networks. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. A production insider revealed to New Idea magazine that Seven was determined to avoid staleness in their format and was eyeing the wealthy equestrian businessman as a potential lead for a new spin-off titled The Golden Farmer. 'Production doesn't want the format becoming stale. They're desperate to give the show a fresh new look and format in a bid to rival its growing competitors,' the source said. However, the move might not sit well with Armytage, 48, who reportedly sees the prospect as a slight, considering Lavender's aversion to the spotlight during their marriage. 'Sam wouldn't love the idea of Richard being involved in Farmer, in fact she would probably see it as a bit of an insult,' the insider added. 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. Sources close to the situation revealed to Daily Mail Australia these tensions may have contributed to the breakup, prompting Armytage to relocate from Lavender's sprawling estate in New South Wales back to Sydney's eastern suburbs. 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. The Australian version of Farmer Wants A Wife is the most successful reality dating television show in the country, by the metric of lasting unions. It has resulted in a notable number of marriages and babies, including 11 marriages and 27 children in Australia. The show's international success is even more impressive, with reports of over 200 marriages and more than 500 children worldwide.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Bloodbath at Channel Seven as three popular stars jump ship to Network 10 for new investigative show in the works
Three staff members at Channel Seven have jumped ship to rival Network 10. Seven's award-winning former foreign correspondent Amelia Brace, 7News Sydney reporter Bill Hogan and Spotlight producer-reporter Denham Hitchcock all resigned from the network last week, The Australian has reported. They are reportedly set to join a new investigative show set up by Channel 10's news boss Martin White. Brace and Hitchcock exited Seven's studio in Sydney within hours of quitting and are set to start their new jobs at Ten on Monday morning while Hogan will begin with the network in three weeks time. Ten has reportedly offered Brace a $50,000 increase on the $220,000 a year she had been getting paid. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. In a message to colleagues on Friday, she said: 'It feels off to not have an official 'last day' to say goodbye, but it's best for me to just fade away for now.' 'Stand up for yourselves, and each other … and think of me every time you have to find a f**king case study.' Meanwhile, Hitchcock announced his return to work at Seven in an Instagram post back in February. He had been living on a catamaran since stepping away from 7News Spotlight in 2022 and recently resettled in Sydney with his young family. 'I'm back. It's time to wash some of the salt out - and get back to what I do best,' he began the post. 'Back in 2019 the network asked me to start what would eventually become the Spotlight program with one producer and one cameraman - and as the limited shows proved successful - the team quickly grew and it would turn into the network's flagship program. 'I stepped away for a few years to go sailing with the family - and have returned to find a new EP, a new team, new reporters, a fresh energy, an abundance of stories, and some genuine excitement about the year ahead.' He ended the message by asking followers and fans to send 'research ideas'. 'But please - researched ideas - not just wild theories,' he warned, before adding: 'Keep an eye on @7newsspotlight it's going to be quite the year.' Hitchcock short return to Seven came after he welcomed his second child in December with his wife Mari. He made headlines in January 2022 when he resigned from the Seven Network to embark on a sailing trip with his young family. He returned to screens in May 2023, in the true crime documentary 'Who Killed Marea?', which examines a 20-year-old cold case. Hitchcock led the Sky News investigation into the mysterious and brutal slaying of Marea Yann who was killed in her home in rural Victoria in 2003.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Sam Pang set to return for the third time to host The Logie Awards 2025
TV funnyman Sam Pang is heading back to host The Logie Awards in August. This will be the third time in three years that the 51-year-old comedian has taken on the anchor role for TV's Night of Nights. Sam's cheeky and irreverent comedy as host last year and in 2023 proved to be a big hit with audiences and TV's A-list as well as a major ratings winner for Seven. 'It's been an honour to host the last two years and I'm looking forward to again celebrating the talented people and amazing shows that combine to make the Australian television industry something everyone can be proud of,' Sam told The Herald Sun on Sunday. 'I am very excited to return for another Logies and would like to thank 7 for asking me back.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. This year's lucky Logie nominees will be announced on June 16. Sam is expected to unleash another take-no-prisoners monologue as host when the Logies ceremony kicks off at the Star Sydney on August 3. The beloved comedian left viewers in stitches with a cutting series of one liners when he took to the stage last year. He was widely praised for his presenting - and roasting of celebrities - for the 2023 event and he certainly did not fail to disappoint as viewers applauded his 'fearless' monologue which saw him boldly take aim at Channel Seven. Sam didn't hold back as he savagely roasted Seven for their spate of recent scandals, such as the Bruce Lehrmann-Spotlight scandal, despite the fact the Logies were airing on the network. He also hit out at Network 10 and Married At First Sight in his take-no-prisoners monologue, before making jokes at the expense of Adam Lambert and LeAnn Rimes. Sam opened his monologue by savagely taking aim at Seven, referencing their recent scandals as the crowds reacted with shocked gasps. 'Firstly, Channel 7, well, I'm just letting you all know I'm going to say whatever I want tonight,' he said as he kicked things off. 'I stand before you safe in the knowledge that whatever I say, this network will defend me in court, and with their impeccable record in defamation cases over the last 12 months I reckon I'll be fine.' Amid a string of jobs being cut at Seven, Sam then joked that he wasn't getting paid by the network for his hosting gig and said they would instead be paying his rent. 'Full disclosure - I'm not getting paid by Channel Seven tonight. Instead, for the next 12 months, they're paying my rent,' he quipped. Which is handy as they'll know what address to send the Thai masseuse to.' Sam then left the crowds in stitches with his MAFS joke as he quipped: 'Reality shows continue to thrive. One of the biggest shows sees contestants thrown together, isolated and willingly eating testicles and sometimes anus. That's right, Married At First Sight continues to go from strength to strength.' Sam's return comes after his first Logies as host scored an impressive 877,000 viewers in the TV ratings. The 2024 Logies broadcast, meanwhile, was another massive hit for Seven According to Sunday night's OzTam ratings, the awards show was the most popular program on free-to-air with a huge national reach of 3,351,000, with a national audience of 1,338,00.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Dr Chris Brown warns dog owners to NEVER play fetch with tennis balls
Australian vet Dr Chris Brown has issued a grave warning to dog owners about playing fetch with tennis balls. The Bondi Vet revealed things he would never do as a pet owner - including a popular game thousands of Aussies play with their dogs. Appearing on Sunrise, hosts Natalie Barr and Matt Shirvington asked the animal expert why he's against letting dogs chase tennis balls, as this seemingly innocuous park activity can come with long-term health risks. 'This is a big one so a lot of dogs are absolutely ball obsessed, ball is life... they'd chase a ball but that puts a lot of stress on their joints,' Brown explained. 'You'll see border collies down in the park just chasing ball after ball. They generally get early onset arthritis in the hips and in their knees from the forces on their joints.' It wasn't the only concern the Channel Seven TV host had about dogs playing with tennis balls. Interestingly, the vet explained that the materials and construction of tennis balls are not designed with a dog's mouth in mind. 'The fur on a tennis ball is highly abrasive because it needs to withstand hard courts when you're playing tennis,' Brown said. As a result, the vet noted that dogs who constantly chew on tennis balls are prone to tooth erosion. 'Ball obsessed dogs often have worn down teeth,' he said, adding that this can become a problematic health issue for dogs as they get older. Elsewhere in the interview, Brown explained why pet owners should never feed their dogs more than once a day. 'This is an interesting one,' the vet said. 'Similar to human intermittent fasting, there's genuine research around the fact that if you feed your dog once a day, they will live longer and have a lower risk of cognitive decline-like doggy dementia - compared to feeding them two to three times a day. 'So (feeding once a day) helps to regulate their blood flow, sugar, insulin release and actually means their brain stays younger for longer.' Surprisingly, many pet owners agreed with the vet's advice to avoid using tennis balls when playing with dogs. 'Completely agree with the ball thing as someone who worked in the dog industry,' one said. 'My adult dogs are fed once a day in the afternoon. Always have. And agree with the tennis ball... been there, done that,' another shared. 'The ball theory is true' 'The ball theory is true - my dog just recovered from ball injury and now back to square one with new injury,' one revealed. While another was stunned be the advice, saying: 'Can't believe a border collie can't chase a ball as it effects its joints. These dogs run for miles zipping in and out of sheep - surely a thrown ball can't do more damage?' When one person questioned why ball chasing games would be an issue for herding dogs - which are built for long stretches of running - another person helpfully pointed out that the two activities are quite different. 'The sudden jolting stop to get the ball can tear their ligaments', they responded. '[When they are] herding sheep they are not doing sudden jolting stops close to the ground.' Brown's segment also called out cat owners for a common habit. The TV vet recommended that a cat should never be left alone for extended periods of time - and certainly no longer than 24 hours. 'All the research is now showing that cats actually experience a level of cortisol increase when we leave the house or leave them alone,' he explained, adding that this can result in them experiencing 'more separation anxiety than dogs do'. The revelation stunned Barr, who said she'd always had the impression that cats seemed unfussed about whether people were around or not. 'It's probably a surprise for a lot of people,' Brown agreed. 'A lot of people think that cats are very independent and sometimes a bit aloof. 'They like to give the impression that they don't need you.' The vet said the tell-tale signs of a cat experiencing stress or separation anxiety included a 'sneaky' vomit, weight loss, or 'licking themselves a lot'. Brown said that all these signs pointed towards a cat who is 'actually quite stressed and experiencing extreme separation anxiety'. The animal expert concluded that '24 hours alone is the absolute limit' for a cat to be left alone. 'Don't go away for the weekend and leave them without any sort of care or attention,' he added.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Why Channel Seven says this image crossed the line as footy war with Fox Sports gets personal
A new shot fired by Fox Sports in the broadcaster's increasingly bitter footy war with Channel Seven has been described as 'disrespectful' as the clash over AFL coverage gets personal. This year Fox is the only way footy fans across most of Australia can watch games on a Saturday for large parts of the season due to a change in the league's broadcasting agreement. It's a move that has infuriated footy fans and left a big dent in Seven's coverage, which has been bolstered by its huge investment in AFL panel shows with the likes of Kane Cornes and Caroline Wilson. This is also the first year viewers have had the option of watching every game on Fox, with the pay TV giant's commentators covering every match, with ratings jumping by a huge amount as a result. Seven star Brian Taylor has been taking pot shots at Fox by reminding fans that they don't always send their commentary crews to matches and instead have them cover the games from the studio, where as he and his colleagues are always at the ground. Fox recently hit back by launching an ad showing a Taylor lookalike banging on the door of a pub when he couldn't get inside to watch footy on a Saturday. That has crossed a line with Seven, with a staffer at the broadcaster hitting the commercial with the 'disrespectful' tag, according to The Age. Taylor hit back last Sunday when Fox commentators Brad Johnson, Dermott Brereton and Anthony Hudson called the Melbourne vs Sydney match from their studio in South Melbourne instead of making the short trip to the MCG. The former Collingwood star, who is well known for his 'Roaming Brian' segment in the dressing sheds after games, unloaded on Fox on live TV. 'It is just interesting in this magnificent arena on a Sunday afternoon, a beautiful day, that you come here - and it's magnificent to be here and look across to the box next door of our opposition, and none of them are here today,' he said. 'They haven't come for the two-kilometre trek from South Melbourne.' Seven rubbed salt into that wound by taking out a full-page ad in Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper bearing the words 'we turn up'. Seven director of Sport Chris Jones said he backs Taylor's digs at their rival. 'For BT to be able to be there and to be able to get down to ground level, talk to the players before the game, speak to those in and around the team, and then be able to have that full perspective of the ground – it is certainly something that gives him the best chance of calling and being his best,' he said. Three stars from the Fox Footy team (pictured) didn't make the two-kilometre journey from their studio to the MCG to cover a game in person recently Taylor's previous shot at Fox came when he covered the Adelaide vs North Melbourne match in March. 'It's good to be here at the Adelaide Oval, the only broadcasters actually at the ground,' he said during the first quarter. A couple of weeks earlier BT risked angering his Seven bosses with controversial comments on how many footy shows are on TV this season. 'The last 10 years we've been saying, "Got any money to do a Sunday footy show or something" and they've been going "No, no there's no money to be found",' Taylor said on his podcast. 'All of a sudden we've got 15 shows, one every hour of the day. 'I would also think the appetite of the general football follower, not the person who absolutely can't get enough of it, but the general go to a game every now and then supporter out there … I would say they're going to be sick of it by halfway through the year. 'I have no doubt that this is going to wear people out, people's opinions on footy.' His take came at a sensitive time for Seven, with the broadcaster heavily investing in AFL discussion shows this season as it airs The Agenda Setters, Unfiltered, Extra Time, Sunday Footy Feast, Kane's Call and The Wash Up.
