Sam Mac calls Robert Irwin ‘snake in the grass’ as he accuses him of trying to steal his Sunrise gig
Robert Irwin continues his friendly feud with Sam Mac after nearly taking his job as a Sunrise weather forecaster last year.
The 19-year-old nature warrior appeared on Sunrise in July 2022, where he took over Sam’s duties as a weather presenter for a week while saying his goodbyes in person.
But Sam seems concerned that Robert will take his job for good, throwing a cheeky swipe at the teen during a chat on The Morning Show on Friday.
While Robert discussed his dangerously close encounter with a python in a recent video, he revealed that Sam too has had “a few close calls” with the snakes at Australia Zoo.
Sam didn’t hold back when he replied, “The only snake I met with Robert was you, when you tried to take over my job at dawn.”
“You were a snake in the grass that day.”
Robert laughed off the joke but kept the friendly feud going by saying he still hopes to replace him on the Channel Seven breakfast show.
“Yeah mate, I’m still looking for that position,” he added. ‘Watch out. I have not forgotten.’
The rivalry started when Robert briefly took over as Sunrise’s weather presenter last year, joking ‘Sam Mac, I’m coming for you!’
Robert Irwin continues his friendly feud with Sam Mac after nearly taking his job as a Sunrise weather forecaster last year. Sam seems concerned that Robert will take his job for good, throwing a cheeky swipe at the teen during a chat on The Morning Show on Friday
Sam didn’t hold back when he said, “The only snake I met with Robert was you, when you tried to take over my job at dawn”
Days later, Sam ranted on TikTok about Channel Seven billing Robert as the show’s “new weather presenter,” even though he only filled in for a few days.
He was furious that Robert – an “animal person” – could effortlessly read the weather during live crossovers from Australia Zoo in Queensland.
Sam also didn’t appreciate the zookeeper joking about taking his job and getting along so well with hosts David Koch and Natalie Barr.
The 19-year-old nature warrior appeared on Sunrise in July 2022, where he took over Sam’s duties as a weather presenter for a week while he took personal leave.
Days later, Sam ranted on TikTok about Channel Seven billing Robert Irwin as the show’s “new weather presenter,” even though he only filled in for a few days.
But what really pushed him over the edge was getting a text from his mom Loretta, who gushed about how “awesome” and “handsome” Robert was.
Sam, who is expecting his first child in September with partner Rebecca James, said in his video: “People send me articles saying ‘Watch out, Robert Irwin is going to take over your job.’
“I was like,”[News websites] do this kind of thing all the time; I’m sure it’s out of context… So I thought, just in case, I’d see what was said on the air.’
Sam then broadcast footage of Robert, the son of the late Australian conservationist Steve Irwin, saying on Sunrise, “All I can say is, Sam Mac, I’m coming for you!”
He was furious that Robert – an ‘animal person’ – could effortlessly read the weather during live crosses from Australia Zoo in Queensland
He also surfaced an official Sunrise promo in which Robert described himself as “the new weatherman” and once again added, “Watch out, Sam Mac!”
Sam then watched the footage of one of Robert’s live weathercrosses and was stunned to find that he was doing quite well.
‘Agree! He’s good,” he admitted.
Sam admitted that all this made him feel “insecure,” and a text from his mom didn’t help much after she asked if he’d been “fired” yet.
A regular on Sunrise since he was a kid, Robert filled in for two days while Sam was on leave. Katie Brown filled in for the remaining three days.
Robert told the hosts he was ‘excited’ to step into Sam Mac’s (pictured) shoes and promised it would be fun