Richard Lavender revealed it was love at first sight when he met now-wife Samantha Armytage, sharing the story during the outgoing Sunrise host’s emotional final show.
The 61-year-old horse breeder and Armytage, 44, had previously shared they met around Easter 2019, before getting engaged last June and tying the knot on New Year’s Eve.
Appearing in the studio this morning with Armytage’s dog Banjo, a laid-back Lavender gave Kochie new details on the couple’s first encounter, at the end of a friend’s birthday party two years ago.
“I remember seeing her and I got this really nice feeling. I thought, that’s my girl,” he said.
“One of her old school friends was staying with me and the next morning I was cooking breakfast. She (the friend) came into the kitchen and said, ‘Can I give you a hand?’ And I said, ‘Yes you can, you can get me Sam Armytage’s phone number.’ And here we are.”
Armytage, who tearfully announced she was leaving Sunrise after eight years at helm on Monday, told Who Magazine’s “Sexiest People” issue in 2019 that Lavender’s “eyes were the first thing I saw” and “there was a connection” immediately.
RELATED: Sam makes shocking Sunrise confession
“I don’t even think he even knew who I was when we first met,” she said, to which Lavender confirmed he’d had “no idea” she was a household name.
She also opened up about why she fell in love with him, claiming he’s “really comfortable in his own skin”.
“He doesn’t care what people think of him, which I admire greatly. He’s very decent, very honest. I love that he’s so modest,” she said.
Meanwhile, Lavender, who has two adult daughters with ex-wife Kate Lavender, told the magazine that the “sparkle in her eye” meant he was “instantly attracted” to Armytage.
“She has a quick wit, a terrific sense of humour … she’s very natural,” he said.
“I think a lot of the people who are in show business are a bit flouncy. I’ve seen a few celebrities in public — it’s not always attractive.”
Armytage announced the couple’s engagement on Instagram on June 21 last year, going into detail about the moment Lavender proposed on the show.
“I’m very, very happy,” she told co-host Kochie, adding that Lavender had popped the question while they were picking weeds together in a paddock on his 40-hectare Southern Highlands property.
“He said, ‘Darling, do you want to marry me?’ It was just private and lovely. It was very romantic.”
RELATED: Sign Sam Armytage was done with Sunrise
The couple got married at Lavender’s country property on the last day of 2020 in front of a small group of friends and family, with Armytage revealing the ceremony was “hastily arranged” in just three days.
“Three days before we decided that we’d do it for New Year’s Eve, and we did it, we got it done and it was lovely,” she told her Channel 7 colleagues, explaining they decided to lock in a wedding date after chatting about their desire to tie the knot with Armytage’s father, Mac.
“We were all sitting outside as you do around Christmas time, having a champagne and beer on the veranda. Dad said, ‘Just do it, for god’s sake, just do it.’ So we did it!
“It was nice. There was 12 of us there. We organised it in three days and it was fun.”
Armytage revealed to News Corp’s Stellarthat while she’ll stick with her own name for work, she’ll adopt her husband’s for everything else.
“Privately, we’re the Lavenders,” she said. “I hadn’t thought too much about being Mrs Lavender, but it’s a lovely feeling. I have a real sense of peace and security.”
RELATED: Sam Armytage’s resume exposed on air
As for what’s next for the couple, Armytage said on Monday she’s ready “to step out of this public world for a while, take some time and calm things down, enjoy a bit of slow living and spend some time with my precious family and husband and Banjo”.
Armytage, who recently launched a podcast with Stellar called Something To Talk About with Samantha Armytage, sold her North Bondi home last July, joining Lavender on his country property two hours from Sydney.
As well as Lavender’s Bowral home, Armytage also owns a sprawling five-bedroom, two hectare country estate with wraparound verandas in the region.
“There’s so much hope in my heart now. I look forward to the future,” she told Stellar. “Every morning I wake up with Richard I think whatever happens it’s going to be a good day because I’ve got my mate here. We’re going to have a fun life.”
During today’s show, she paid tribute to Lavender, saying: “He’s literally my other half. He loves all the things I love and now I have someone to do all those things with. We’re great mates and we have a great time.”
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7HWrGWcp51jrrZ7xKernqqklravucSnq2iblaGyo77IrbBmpJmbsnC0zqiiZq2gqHqjvsSaomatoKh8tK3MZpirpamprqix0mafrquSlruledGimqGZopl6ra3VnqWdnaJiv6bCxJqjrGWYpMRuwMeesGallal8r7HWrGSsrJ%2BnxnCwj2qbnG%2BWln5zhMGdmmydk2uAda6UbpydmWlufXiClg%3D%3D