Awkward moment Sam Armytage's phone alarm goes off during first day back hosting Today after she begs people to tune in to watch her amid bad ratings: 'If no one's watching, it's a waste of makeup'

Samantha Armytage was left red-faced after her phone alarm went off live on air during her first day back hosting the Today show on Monday morning - hours after begging her social media followers to watch. 

The veteran presenter, 49, returned to Nine's flagship breakfast program this week alongside Allison Langdon's husband Michael Willesee Jr., marking her first appearance on the show since filling in over the Christmas break.

The show opened with a series of news bulletins, before cutting back to the panel where Armytage could be seen hurriedly swiping on her phone to switch off alarm.

'Good morning! Happy Monday. It's all happening - my alarm just went off on my phone because this is the time I normally get up,' she laughed.

Willesee Jr. meanwhile, joked: 'Her alarm, right on the start time of the show. Just to remind Sam that she had to be on the show this morning.' 

Armytage is of course no stranger to early wake-ups, having previously helmed Seven's Sunrise for eight years. 

The day before her hosting duties, Armytage uploaded an Instagram Story begging her fans to tune into the Today show on her first day - even offering a prize to the person who sent her a photo watching the show from the most interesting spot. 

'Tomorrow morning, I'm gonna be sliding into that Today show co-hosting chair for a fill-in,' she began her video. 

'I hope, if you can, you might turn your telly on and have a look, because the thing about, doing, well, listen, the kookaburras are laughing at my jokes.

'The thing about doing this thing, if no-one's watching, it really is a complete waste of makeup... so I hope we see you in the morning.' 

She noted a few of her followers were 'messaging me to say, which channel, which does not bode well. It's Channel Nine!'  

The Today show has been struggling in the ratings since Karl Stefanovic's departure last month, with viewers abandoning the show in growing numbers. 

The once-dominant program now finds itself marooned in second place behind Seven's seemingly unstoppable Sunrise, with the ratings gap widening dramatically.

As of last month, Sunrise was pulling in 456,000 viewers nationally - more than double the Today show's audience of 226,000 viewers.

Meanwhile, Brisbane news presenter Joel Dry was reportedly axed from a planned week-long hosting stint alongside Armytage at the last minute. 

According to The Australian, Dry had been scheduled to co-host the program from Monday in what was expected to be an on-air audition for the vacant full-time hosting role. 

He remained listed on the show's internal running order as late as Wednesday night before reportedly being told late last week that he was no longer required to travel to Sydney.

Multiple sources alleged Dry was removed from the hosting line-up after Armytage raised concerns about working with him, with Nine executives reportedly acting on her feedback. 

According to reports, Dry had been confident he was in contention to replace Stefanovic and had already begun discussing a potential salary package.

It was claimed he was prepared to accept a salary of around $500,000 a year, significantly less than Stefanovic's reported near-$3 million annual pay and below the salary of his final Today co-host, Sarah Abo.

Following Dry's reported removal, Willesee Jr. was asked to extend his stint on Today for another week to co-host alongside Armytage.

Willesee Jr. had originally been booked to present for two weeks before his run was shortened to one week, with Dry initially expected to take over. 

However, after the late change, Willesee Jr. remained in the role.

Prior to hosting Today with Armytage, Willesee Jr. had fronted the show with Sylvia Jeffreys. 

Nine's long-running breakfast show is currently without a permanent co-host after Stefanovic exited the series last month following an interview with British far-right activist Tommy Robinson, while co-presenter Sarah Abo is on maternity leave.