Samantha Armytage has denied suggestions of an off-screen romance with Golden Bachelor Barry “Bear” Myrden after the pair drew attention at the Logies, saying the pairing was typical publicity but nothing more than friendship.
Speaking on Nova’s Chrissie Swan Show, the former Sunrise presenter and new host of Channel Nine’s The Golden Bachelor laughed off the speculation and said it would be inappropriate for her to pursue the show’s leading man. "Well, you can't host the show and then steal the Golden Bachelor. Hello. That wouldn't be much fun would it?" she said.
Armytage said social media routinely pairs her with men she stands next to, and that the Logies appearance was no different. "Every time I stand next to a man, they put me together," she said. "But no, look, he was wonderful. He's a friend, and I'm the host, and he's the Golden Bach. And there are 20 wonderful ladies who were just so excited to meet him."
She used the interview to outline what she described as a different approach for the Australian version of the U.S. format, saying the contestants are generally older and earnest about finding a partner. "This is not like any show I've done before or seen before," Armytage said. "They're not just coming into this for Instagram fame. They really are looking for love, all of them, and they all have these wonderful stories to tell. They've lived a life… they know what they're looking for. They know what they won't put up with."
Armytage said many contestants are divorced or widowed and framed the casting as highlighting second chances for Australians in their 50s and 60s. "These boomers, they're really powerful. They're cashed up, independent, they've raised their kids, some have grandkids. They know themselves and they're ready," she said.
Production sources told media outlets the network has taken steps to protect the show's central romance ahead of the finale, arranging secret weekly meetups between the Golden Bachelor and his chosen contestant. "It's been a very expensive and carefully managed roll-out," a person close to production told the Daily Mail. "They want the public to believe in the love story."
Myrden, who rose to national attention as a widower seeking a late-in-life relationship, also addressed the Logies rumours, rejecting suggestions that he favours younger women. "That's just rumours," he told the Daily Mail, adding that eliminating contestants was emotionally difficult. "All I can say is it was very difficult having to get rid of any of them. They were all beautiful, intelligent, fun. It is one of the toughest things I've ever had to do."
Myrden said the Logies marked his first red carpet and described adapting to television fame as "very surreal," while Armytage has been positioned by Channel Nine as a professional hand for the series. A production insider told the Daily Mail, "It's just good TV. And she's a pro. She knows exactly how to play the part."
The Golden Bachelor is scheduled to air later this year on Channel Nine, running directly after the network's renovation series The Block. Channel Nine has signalled confidence the dating show will become a ratings asset by offering a different demographic focus from most reality dating formats.
The program follows the U.S. format in which an older single man dates multiple women with the aim of finding a lasting partner. Armytage's remarks emphasized the network's intent to portray authentic relationships rather than short-term publicity. The Daily Mail reported it had reached out to Channel Nine for comment regarding the production's rollout and the network's publicity strategy.