Kyle Sandilands has taken a savage swing at new Sunrise co-host Natalie Barr, claiming she doesn’t deserve to replace Sam Armytage.
The radio host, 49, described the veteran newsreader, 52, as a ‘hanger on’ and suggested she only got Sam’s job because she’d waited in the wings for so long.
‘Natalie’s a great newsreader – not taking anything away from her success. But I think you can’t just hang around,’ he said on The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Monday.
‘You can’t just hang around’: Kyle Sandilands (left) has taken a savage swing at new Sunrise co-host Natalie Barr (right), claiming she doesn’t deserve to replace Sam Armytage
‘It’s like me leaving and Intern Pete [Deppeler, KIIS FM producer and occasional on-air personality] being given my job, just because he’s here,’ he added.
Kyle’s co-host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson was shocked by his harsh feedback, saying: ‘Oh, my god. There’s nothing comparing Nat to Intern Pete! Not to offend you [Pete]!’
‘Okay, maybe you’re right, Jackie,’ Kyle conceded.
His opinion: The radio host, 49, described the veteran newsreader, 52, as a ‘hanger on’ and suggested she only got Sam’s job because she’d waited in the wings for so long
‘It would be like me leaving and just replace by Brooklyn [Ross, KIIS FM newsreader]. Quality broadcaster, but doesn’t hold a candle to my level,’ he added.
A shocked Brooklyn interjected: ‘I don’t know. Nat’s not bad!’
‘That’s not what you want. You don’t want someone who’s “not bad”,’ Kyle replied, before later adding: ‘You don’t just get a guernsey because you’re hanging around.’
‘You don’t just get a guernsey because you’re hanging around’: Kyle didn’t mince words when it came to sharing his opinion on Natalie’s ascension to the helm of Sunrise
Elsewhere in the segment Kyle took a stab at Natalie’s personality, calling the esteemed journalist ‘cold’.
‘I find her a little cold, just quietly. I’ve never met her, mind you. Just watched her on TV. And maybe I find her cold because she’s just reading news,’ he shrugged.
Natalie officially replaced Samantha on Sunrise alongside co-host David ‘Kochie’ Koch on Monday morning.
‘We were never convinced she could do this after 18 years’: During Sunrise on Monday, Kochie congratulated his co-star on the new gig but joked with a cheeky smirk that they didn’t know if she was capable
Natalie, who will celebrate 20 years with the program in 2023, has often filled in for Sam and former Sunrise co-host Melissa Doyle in the past.
Despite this, Kochie joked that she still wasn’t up for the job.
He said with a cheeky smirk: ‘After 18 years as part of the family… and we were never convinced she could do this after 18 years.’
Ouch! Natalie instinctively hit her co-host, then said: ‘Excuse me! Okay, the first five minutes [and] I’m already punching you. This is going to be fun.’ Pictured with newsreader Edwina Bartholomew (left) and sports presenter Mark Beretta (right)
Natalie looked shocked and instinctively hit her co-host, then said: ‘Excuse me! Okay, the first five minutes [and] I’m already punching you. This is going to be fun.’
Kochie clarified that he was only kidding and that his colleague’s experience as a fill-in anchor made her more than qualified.
‘It’s fabulous news,’ he said. ‘Handy tip: nothing has changed since Friday, or most of last year, so you should be okay.’
It’s official! Natalie was confirmed as Sam’s permanent replacement over the weekend
In a statement on Sunday, she told viewers she was looking forward to stepping into Samantha’s shoes.
‘Sunrise has been my work family for 18 years and while I’ve absolutely loved my role as newsreader, I’ve now been given the chance to move half a metre along the desk closer to Kochie and give something new a try,’ she said.
‘I like to think of it as same same, but different. I can’t wait!’ Natalie said.
Gone: Samantha (pictured) marked her last day on Sunrise on Thursday