Sam Armytage has refused to comment on the international backlash she is receiving over a ‘racist’ Sunrise segment from 2015 that resurfaced on Sunday.
The viral clip, in which she congratulated a white woman on her skin tone, has been viewed 4.6 million times on Twitter in the wake of the recent Black Lives Matter protests.
When asked by Daily Mail Australia on Monday if she would be addressing the scandal, the 43-year-old journalist chose not to respond.
Silence: Sam Armytage declined to comment on Monday when asked about the ‘racist’ Sunrise segment from 2015 that resurfaced over the weekend. Pictured in Manly, Sydney
Security officers went to great effort to keep the media away from Sam as she left the Big Brother compound in Manly, Sydney, after a special broadcast of Sunrise.
As the breakfast show finished filming, the guards moved several barriers so they could drive their car as close to the studio door as possible.
This meant that Sam would not have to walk past the media to the general car park. Her co-host David ‘Kochie’ Koch did not receive the same special treatment.
He also refused to comment on the backlash on Monday morning.
Brave face: When asked by Daily Mail Australia if she would be addressing the scandal, the 43-year-old journalist chose not to respond
Security: Security officers went to great effort to keep the media away from Sam as she left the Big Brother compound in Manly, Sydney, after a special broadcast of Sunrise
Both presenters had trended on Twitter on Sunday as the video resurfaced of Sam congratulating a white woman on her skin tone.
The controversial Sunrise interview from 2015 featured British mixed-race twins Lucy and Mary Alymer. Sam introduced them separately.
‘Maria has taken after her half-Jamaican mum with dark skin and brown eyes and curly dark hair, but Lucy got her dad’s fair skin – good on her – along with straight red hair and blue eyes,’ she said at the time.
Distance: As the breakfast show finished filming, the guards moved several barriers so they could drive their car as close to the studio door as possible
Keeping quiet: This meant Sam wouldn’t have to walk past the media to her car. Her co-host David Koch (pictured) did not receive the same treatment and he also declined to comment
Kochie seemed taken aback by the comment, and gave a confused glance in Sam’s direction.
In the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests, the segment has been widely circulated on Twitter and re-published by international news websites.
Sam had previously apologised for the comment days after the initial controversy.
Backlash: The Sunrise hosts both trended on Twitter on Sunday after a video from 2015 resurfaced of Sam (left) congratulating a white woman on her skin-tone
‘Good on her’: During her interview, Samantha introduced the mixed-race twins (pictured) from the UK separately, and appeared to congratulate one twin on her fair completion
She told Daily Mail Australia at the time: ‘I would be mortified if anyone thought I would say or think anything racist.
‘It’s not in my nature. To anyone who I might have offended, I’m sorry.’
A Seven spokesperson added: ‘Regular members of the Sunrise audience or anyone who has seen the clip in full will know that Sam was taking a dig at herself.
‘She frequently jokes about the fair skin that runs in her family and difficult it can be to manage in extreme environments.’
Backlash: In the past few days, the 2015 footage has been shared thousands of times on Twitter, with some mistakenly believing it to be recent
Shocked: Activists have claimed the video is an example of ‘white privilege’ and ‘casual racism’
In the past few days, the 2015 footage has been shared thousands of times on Twitter, with some mistakenly believing it to be recent.
Activists have claimed the video is an example of ‘white privilege’ and ‘casual racism’.
Meanwhile, Sam has set her Instagram account to private and hasn’t posted anything for three days.
Trending: The clip has amassed 4.6 million views on Twitter in just a couple of days. Pictured: Sam and Kochie trending on Twitter on Sunday
Going to ground: Sam has set her Instagram page to private amid the international backlash