Samantha Armytage reveals how she will be spending her first Christmas holidays since split from husband Richard Lavender

Samantha Armytage has revealed how she will spend the Christmas holidays as a newly single lady.

The new Today Show host, 48, will keep things relaxed and casual as she goes through a divorce with husband Richard Lavender, she told the Daily Telegraph on Saturday.

“My favorite Christmas tradition is to take a dip in the ocean on Christmas Day,” the 48-year-old said.

Sam explained that she would spend the holidays with family and have some bubbly.

The TV star said she would “open a good bottle of champagne, pour a glass for the whole family and then start unpacking.”

Last week, Sam got ready to celebrate Christmas with her loved ones after splitting from her husband.

The blonde was spotted during a day of shopping in Sydney, where she stocked up on expensive drinks.

She flashed a big smile as she purchased a box of French Louis Auger champagne ahead of the holidays, which retails from $46.99 per bottle.

The former Channel Seven star looked in great form and was beaming from ear to ear.

It will be her first Christmas since her split from equestrian businessman Richard, 61, on the eve of their fourth wedding anniversary.

Samantha started dating Richard in April 2019, and she announced their engagement in June 2020.

The couple then married on New Year’s Eve that same year at his 40-acre estate in the picturesque Southern Highlands in NSW.

But earlier this month, sources revealed their split exclusively to Ny Breaking Australia, with Samantha subsequently confirming they had ‘amicably’ gone their separate ways.

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

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

It’s understood Samantha’s TV host friends have been comforting the star behind the scenes for some time.

Samantha and Richard were last seen together on September 5, when they arrived back at Sydney Airport together after a trip to Noosa.

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

It’s been a huge period of change for Samantha, as she also left Channel Seven earlier this year after 21 years with the network.

The ex-Farmer Wants A Wife host then made the sensational move to rival network Nine and has already made her film debut on the channel.

Samantha joined the Today Show as a stand-in host for the summer and made quite an impression on viewers during her first episode.

The veteran presenter kicked off the show by sharing a flirty exchange with her co-host Dan Anstey.

After introducing herself to viewers, Sam recalled first meeting Dan at the Melbourne Cup.

‘I don’t remember that. How was I?’ he asked.

“You were handsome as always,” a giggling Sam replied, before Dan said: “That was someone else.” You confused me with another Dan.”

‘Yes, I actually have. We’ll get to that later, but it’s nice to see you all here,” Sam responded quickly before introducing the headlines.

Viewers have already called for Samantha and Dan to permanently replace Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo on the show, as they praised the duo for their upbeat and personable presenting styles.

Although Nine has insisted that Samantha’s role in Today is purely seasonal, speculation is rife that it could be a trial run to see if she is suitable to join Today on a permanent basis.

Nine were reportedly involved in back-to-back crisis meetings after the decision to bring Samantha to the Today show.

The move also sparked outrage among longtime staff, with insiders claiming the decision created tension behind the scenes and left many feeling rejected.

‘There have been successive crisis meetings since Sam was signed’ a source told Woman’s Day earlier this month.

“The big bosses didn’t listen to the team when they objected to Sam’s arrival.”

Meanwhile, a well-placed source told Ny Breaking Australia that Nine has strategic reasoning behind Samantha’s appointment.

“Let’s not pretend this isn’t about ratings,” they said.

“If Sam succeeds in bringing Today out of Sunrise’s shadow, even for a week, the network will see that as a victory. For Sam, it’s about proving she’s still the queen of breakfast TV.”

A major source of resentment at its new network is the perception that Nine’s existing talent is being overlooked.