The host of Australia's biggest morning show, Sunrise, hit back at a Daily Telegraph article about her ailing new TV show, which focuses mainly on collating old, unflattering paparazzi photos of her.
The Telegraph's article contains various old, candid paparazzi images of Armytage with captions like, "COMFY WOMFY".
Armytage addressed the article directly on Friday morning, asking "I don't know whether it's trying to bully me into an eating disorder. I don't understand."
She took her outrage to Twitter where she called on the writer to step forward.
Wow. A newspaper bullying a woman about her weight - I thought those days were gone! And again, no one seems to have written it #coward
Some of Australia's most prominent female journalists overwhelmingly supported Armytage and were scathing of The Tele.
It's so rare we ever get a successful woman on TV who is not a size 8. Teens need role models like Sam. Yet the Tele today shames her.
@SMBuchester @RitaPanahi @SharriMarkson @sam_armytage I'm so bored by body scrutiny. So breathtakingly regressive
@SharriMarkson @PatsKarvelas @sam_armytage writer is also a serial offender. Seems to have some weird agenda against Sam. Jealousy?
@sam_armytage @sunriseon7 I sometimes cringe when I see pics of me from 5 DAYS ago let alone 5 years. Disappointing.
@tomsteinfort @sam_armytage Good on you. You're a great role model for all women (and no doubt blokes) in the media.
Even *actual* model, Jesinta Campbell rushed to TeamSam.
@sam_armytage really is a backward step! You go girl! Don't let the haters get you down! ❤️ Women should have each others backs !
@sam_armytage This makes me so sad Sam! In a day where we should be lifting women up & focusing on more than what a women is wearing this
Oh, of course Armytage's morning television rival Karl Stefanovic tweeted his support.
The article this morning on my friend @sam_armytage was awful. She is a beautiful person inside and out.
And male journalists were rallying to her side.
@sam_armytage extraordinary - well done on standing up for yourself
Armytage eventually pointed out The Tele's Sydney Confidential writer Annette Sharp penned the piece and asked her followers to "let her know your thoughts".
We've finally discovered the author of today's 'charming' piece.. It's @inSharpRelief. Let her know your thoughts
. @sam_armytage "The author" was never hiding Sam.
Sharp immediately went on the offensive, saying her article was 'body positive'.
Hands up if u think @sam_armytage is being a bit hysterical today? The issues here are a) a dud TV show & 2) STYLE
After all, she chose the clothes... I just chose the pictures and have NOT called her fat despite @sunriseon7's best attempts to suggest it.
Women are smart. The truth is the truth & as much as television & mags wish to manufacture "truth" for sales and revenue, these pix r honest
The Australian's Sharri Markson then published a leaked email reportedly from The Daily Telegraph that shows editors searching for Armytage photos that were "scruffy" or "looked bad".
Markson's extensive reporting revealed the sole intention of the Armytage article was to "make her look 'bad'".
Perhaps coincidentally, Armytage is on the cover of this month's Australian Women's Weekly.
