Sunrise host Natalie Barr appears to take a subtle swipe at Sam Armytage

Sunrise host Natalie Barr appears to take a subtle swipe at Sam Armytage as she says ‘people are sick of TV hosts complaining about the scrutiny they face’… after the former anchor blasted the media on her last day

Sunrise host Natalie Barr made some interesting comments about life in the spotlight during an interview with TV Week on Monday, leading to speculation they may have been in reference to her predecessor Sam Armytage.

The 53-year-old presenter said everyday Australians don’t like it when TV stars complain about the press and social media trolls, adding that she’s ‘ready’ for the scrutiny she will inevitably face after being promoted from newsreader to anchor. 

Viewers will remember that Armytage, 44, would often gripe about her critics during her eight-year tenure on Sunrise, and even took a parting shot at the ‘bullying’ media during her last day on the show in March.

What are you trying to say, Nat? Sunrise host Natalie Barr made some interesting comments about life in the spotlight during an interview with TV Week on Monday, leading to speculation they may have been in reference to her predecessor Sam Armytage

‘I think people get sick of people in TV complaining about the attention,’ Barr told the magazine.

‘I’ve turned off all these notifications on my Twitter feed. I can block people in my DMs [direct messages], or I report them, as everyone does in the modern world. I think you’ve got to take that attitude.’

Turning her attention from social media to the press, Barr said she won’t be taking negative headlines personally.

‘I’m sure people will write stuff that’s incorrect. But people have worse lives [than I do]. I promise you I won’t complain.’

The Seven veteran, who shares two sons with her husband, Andrew Thompson, added that she’s seen it all during her 30 years working in newsrooms. 

‘I get hate mail, I get death threats,’ she said. ‘I deft you to offend me.’

Barr’s ‘brush-it-off’ attitude is in stark contrast to how Armytage handled trolling and negative press attention when she hosted Sunrise from 2013 until March this year.

She would ferociously hit back at her critics online, often with the support of Sunrise executive producer Michael Pell, and even singled out the media during her farewell speech on her last day on March 11.