Former breakfast television queen Samantha Armytage has made a playful public pitch to fast-food giant KFC, cheekily requesting a lifetime supply of their fried chicken. The move signals a savvy shift into the influencer sphere for the 49-year-old broadcaster.
The Buckethead Bid for Free Chicken
The amusing saga began when Armytage attended a cricket match, partaking in the classic Australian tradition of wearing a cardboard fast-food bucket as a hat. She shared a selfie on Instagram, beer in hand, sporting the KFC bucket as headwear.
Her caption read: 'What can I say... I am nothing if not a woman of the people,' before adding the telling line, 'not sponsored but should be. And no - I'm not dating The Colonel.'
The brand's official social media account swiftly noticed, replying with the moniker 'Queen of the buckethead'. Seizing the moment, Armytage then shared a screenshot of this exchange to her Instagram Stories, directly tagging KFC and posing the question: 'Surely this deserves free KFC for life?'
Doubling Down on Loyalty
Not content with a single post, the television personality reinforced her playful campaign by sharing a second image of herself wearing the bucket hat. This time, her caption was a simple but pointed 'Never forget', once again tagging the fried chicken purveyors.
This light-hearted social media manoeuvre comes at a significant time in Armytage's career. She has recently made a much-discussed return to the Today show on Channel Nine, filling in for regular hosts Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo during the festive break.
A Return to the Spotlight
Armytage's return to morning television has been highly anticipated. She has been sharing hosting duties on Today alongside Nova radio star Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli. Her comeback follows her dramatic 2021 exit from Sunrise on Channel Seven, a role that made her a household name.
Her move to Channel Nine in 2024 sparked considerable speculation that she might permanently replace Sarah Abo on the Today couch. Armytage addressed these rumours directly during an October interview on 2GB with Ben Fordham.
'Ben, you know how this game works - these stories get planted, leaked,' she stated, before revealing she had reassured Abo after the headlines appeared. 'Sarah's wonderful... We gave each other a hug and I said, "Are you okay?"' She praised the current lineup, calling Abo and Stefanovic 'fantastic'.
For now, Armytage indicated her focus was on her hosting role for The Golden Bachelor. However, her clever, engagement-driving social media activity, exemplified by the KFC exchange, shows a media veteran adeptly navigating the modern landscape of brand interaction and personal publicity.
