Telling clue Samantha Armytage was going to split with husband Richard Lavender just weeks before their fourth wedding anniversary

Samantha Armytage shocked fans when she and husband Richard Lavender split just weeks before their fourth anniversary, but insiders claim it was a long time coming.

Ny Breaking Australia exclusively revealed on Thursday that the TV presenter, 48, and her equestrian husband, 61, had gone their separate ways.

Now some sources have revealed that the biggest sign that Armytage and her partner were hitting it off was her going from Seven to Nine, it was reported Yahoo lifestyle on Monday.

“As soon as Sam announced she was leaving Seven for Nine and making a big TV comeback, we all started to suspect something had happened,” the insider said.

“Her main reason for leaving Sunrise in the first place was to be with him and settle away from the industry.”

Armytage began co-hosting the Seven Network’s breakfast television program in 2013, alongside former co-host David ‘Kochie’ Koch.

However, she sensationally quit the show in 2021 and appeared to swap her busy show business life for a quiet life with her husband Lavender in the countryside.

After appearing on Farmer Wants A Wife Australia for two seasons, Armytage moved from Seven to Nine in October, grabbing gigs as quickly as they were offered.

Armytage confirmed on Women’s Day 2021 that her relationship with Lavender was part of the reason she left Sunrise, saying she was enjoying their new life in the Southern Highlands.

‘[Farming] is in my blood. I’m back to where I started. This is kind of like the second act of my life,” she said at the time.

“I’m proud of myself for taking that leap into the complete unknown because I didn’t know what would come next.

“I was newly married, so I had Rich to help me through it, and I knew I wanted to be back in the country, so I jumped off the cliff.”

Now, following their shocking split after almost four years of marriage, a source claims their divorce has been widely speculated in the TV industry for months.

“Sam is keeping the details pretty hush-hush, but the impression everyone is getting is that she wasn’t ready to retire and give it all up, which likely caused tension since Rich is notoriously private,” they said.

Armytage was spotted for the first time since her split from Lavender on Sunday, looking dejected as she ran errands in Sunny Hills without her wedding ring on.

The upcoming Golden Bachelor host kept a low profile with dark sunglasses as she was spotted returning to her car.

Armytage and Lavender’s divorce was meant to be leaked to a Sydney newspaper on Friday, but sources confirmed the news in advance to Ny Breaking Australia.

‘Yes, Richard and I have broken up. All separations are difficult, but it is somewhat mitigated by the fact that it is amicable and we wish the best for each other,” Armytage told the media late Thursday evening.

‘I appreciate you respecting our privacy. I will make no further comment.”

Although the news has just become public, it is believed that the Armytage TV presenter’s friends have been comforting the star behind the scenes for some time now.

Armytage is no longer followed on Instagram by Lavender’s two daughters, Sascha and Grace, although the former couple still follow each other.

Armytage started dating Lavender in April 2019, and they announced their engagement in June 2020, before tying the knot at his estate in rural NSW six months later.

A wedding photo showed Armytage holding hands with her new husband as they strolled through his Southern Highlands estate on New Year’s Eve, shortly after saying ‘I do’.

She captioned the heartwarming photo, which was taken after their wedding ceremony but before their reception: “11:58am on a Thursday. How lucky are we?’

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, only a small number of guests attended the intimate ceremony, with Lavender’s daughters believed to have been present.

Armytage also posted a photo from later in the evening, showing the couple cuddling alongside the words: “HNY from the Lav’s.”

Amid her failed marriage, Armytage has also undergone a huge career change after stepping down from Channel Seven after 21 years with the network.

She has moved to rival network Nine and has been signed on to host brand new reality dating show The Golden Bachelor.

The Golden Bachelor is a spin-off of the series The Bachelor, but differs in that the participants in the reality dating show are singles in their 50s and 60s.

Her new role at Nine will also see her become a ‘fill-in’ presenter on Today, while regular presenters Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo go on leave this summer.

Armytage, once presenter of Seven’s rival breakfast show Sunrise, will co-host with Weekend Today star Clint Stanaway.

For a week and a half, the journalist ‘wakes up with Today’, where she can put her eight years of anchor experience at Sunrise from 2013 to 2021 to good use in the rival hotseat.