When Samantha Armytage announced her high-profile separation from Southern Highlands businessman Richard Lavender in December 2024, the former Sunrise star was confident she was leaving that chapter behind on her own terms.
Telling Stellar Magazine that they gave their four-year marriage “a go” before realizing they held different core values, the 49-year-old presenter quietly returned to Sydney’s high-pressure media circuit—eventually stepping into a turbulent hosting stint on Channel Nine’s Today.
However, while Sam is currently fighting for survival in the brutal ratings war—facing harsh public scrutiny over her presenting style and being caught in an embarrassing social media slip with rival Natalie Barr—her ex-husband’s life has taken a drastically different turn.
News that the 66-year-old equestrian and businessman is now dating 45-year-old Sydney philanthropist Georgie Curran has sent shockwaves through the industry.
But according to close insiders, the most painful blow for Sam isn’t just that Richard has moved on—it’s that his family and the tight-knit Southern Highlands elite have instantly embraced his younger new flame.
A Quiet Betrayal In The Highlands
The reported romance between Richard and Georgie—arranged by Skye Leckie, the very same high-society matchmaker who originally introduced Sam to Richard in 2019—has effectively closed the door on Sam’s ties to the region’s upper crust.
While Sam often struggled to balance her grueling television schedule with the quiet rhythm of country life, Georgie Curran is already deeply entrenched in the local community.
A well-known figure in Sydney social circles who shares three children with her ex-husband, television executive Bernard Curran, Georgie is celebrated for her extensive charity work, including her involvement with the Australian Ballet.
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, an insider described Georgie as an ideal fit for Richard’s world:
“She has a big community spirit in the Highlands and does loads of philanthropic work. She’s just a really good person.”
For those watching from the sidelines, the speed at which the Highlands hierarchy has rallied around Richard and Georgie stands in stark contrast to the icy tension that defined the end of Sam’s marriage.
Daughters Switch Sides: “They Turned The Page Instantly”
The shift in loyalty goes far beyond dinner parties and charity galas. According to sources close to the family, the most telling sign of the new dynamic is the reaction from Richard’s adult daughters, Sasha and Grace.
During Sam’s four-year marriage to Richard, reports frequently surfaced regarding the awkward friction between the television star and her stepdaughters.
When the marriage dissolved, communication between Sam and the girls reportedly ceased entirely.
A source close to the family reveals that Sasha and Grace have given Richard’s new relationship their total blessing:
“It’s no secret that things were strained between Sam and the girls toward the end.
They always felt Sam’s world brought unnecessary media drama to their father’s quiet life.
But with Georgie, it’s been a total breath of fresh air.
She fits into the family naturally, without the cameras, the publicist handlers, or the TV headlines.”
The insider added that seeing Richard’s family warmly accept a woman four years younger than Sam has been a bitter pill for the veteran presenter to swallow:
“To see his daughters and their entire social circle welcome Georgie with open arms—while Sam is being dragged in the press over her Today show ratings—it’s a brutal reminder of how quickly that world moved on without her.”
Salt In The Wound Amid A TV Career Crisis
The timing of Richard’s new romance could not come at a worse moment for Armytage.
Since making the jump to Channel Nine to help front Today alongside a revolving door of co-hosts, Sam has faced relentless online trolling from viewers labeling her presentation “drab” and “boring.”
To make matters worse, Sunrise anchor Natalie Barr recently reignited their long-running personal feud after accidentally leaking a screenshot on Instagram showing she was monitoring Sam’s broadcasts.
A television production insider noted that watching Richard thrive in a quiet, drama-free romance highlights the isolation Sam currently faces in her personal life:
“Sam sacrificed a lot when she left Channel Seven and moved out to the farm, thinking she was building a forever home.
Now, she’s back in Sydney grinding through 4:00 AM alarm calls, facing career backlash, while Richard is living the high life on his 40-hectare property with a gorgeous, well-respected socialite.
It’s an absolute sting.”
As Richard and Georgie continue to be spotted together at exclusive events across the Southern Highlands, one thing has become abundantly clear to high-society watchers: while Sam Armytage may have been the public face of the 40-hectare estate for four years, the Highlands elites have officially chosen their new favorite leading lady.