Once heralded a saviour for helping resurrect Sunrise, Samantha Armytage went into hiding last week – checking into a health retreat in Queensland – as rumours again surfaced she could be facing the axe.
And as many experts insist that will be just the beginning of a huge shake-up at Seven, she’s not the only one who may be nervous.
“There’s a whisper that Kochie [David Koch] has gone to the top dogs and told them they need to really consider Sunrise’s Monday to Friday line-up,” reveals one Seven insider.
“Today beat Sunrise in all of Australia’s major cities in 2016, and he’s worried they’re losing their handle on viewers.”
“He and Sam have never really bonded, and the bosses have already secretly lined up Eddie [Edwina Bartholomew] to step up if Sam gets the chop. There’s going to be blood on the studio floor this year. No one is safe.”
“There’s a whisper that Kochie has gone to the top dogs and told them they need to really consider Sunrise’s Monday to Friday line-up,” one source tells us.
Seven insiders say the atmosphere at the network during the past six months has been “toxic.”
Big-name stars are worried about job security as rumours of budget cuts swirl, and thanks to the perceived need for “fresh faces” to bolster ratings.
If Sam does go there’ll be no shortage of talent waiting in the wings to replace her. Close friends of Eddie, 33, say she’s already been asked by Seven execs if she’d be interested in Sam’s role.
To find out how Edwina is handling the situation and to read about all the other Channel Seven rivalries, get the latest issue of Woman’s Day – on sale now!
