Newsreader and journalist Samantha Hayes has learned a lot about life over the past few years. Job loss, separation and the heartbreaking death of a dear friend are challenges she hopes never to face again.
Yet when the next test comes, as it inevitably will. She’ll try to remind herself that even in the hardest moments, brighter days are always ahead.
“I think it’s really important to always try to remember that when you’re going through a really difficult time, it’s not always going to feel this bad,” she tells Woman’s Day.
“It’s hard to do in those dark moments, but I really have learned you’re not always going to feel hopeless and we need to keep hold of that.”
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The ThreeNews anchor is catching up with us in between interviews, before she delivers the news on air at 6pm. It’s a year since the Stuff-produced show began. Rising from the ashes of the shock Newshub closure. She’s proud of what’s been achieved in such a short space of time.
Developing an entirely new programme from the ground up has been an enormous task and there have certainly been some wobbles along the way. But Sam says the tight-knit team has created something they’re truly proud of.
While she never would have wished for Newshub to end the way it did. With the closure seeing hundreds of journalists out of work, she feels energised and refreshed in her career.
“This new role has allowed me to reach a much wider audience and to use a really broad range of the skills that I’ve developed in the past two decades of my career in journalism,” she says.
“There’s something really exciting and empowering in that. It’s scary and challenging at times, but also it means that every day I feel like I’m doing something new and it has energised me.”
Juggling her role with motherhood isn’t always easy and some weeks run more smoothly than others. But Sam says life has settled into a comfortable rhythm since she separated from her children’s dad almost two years ago.
Marlow, five, and Amaya, three, have got used to having two homes, and Sam has adjusted to her new normal. She might be passionate about her career, but nothing compares to the love she feels for her children.
“It’s busy, chaotic, beautiful, loud at times and challenging, but being a mum is honestly my favourite thing in the whole world,” she says, pulling out her phone to show photos of Marlow and Amaya with the family’s two new kittens, Patch and Pom Pom.
“The kids are so cute and funny. The things they say just make me laugh every single day. Life is good.”
While Marlow is a calm and thoughtful child, Amaya likes to rule the roost. The hilarious little girl sometimes struggles with the fact she’s not the oldest. Her latest issue being that Marlow has a new booster seat and she does not.
“She’s decided to protest by refusing to get into her car seat,” laughs Sam.
“I’m pretty patient, but when you have somewhere to be, like school starting soon, or you’ve got to get to work and time’s ticking but your beautiful child just will not agree to sit in a car seat… All of my negotiation skills come into play!”
But the self-described perfectionist says parenthood has forced her to relax. She’s come to understand there’s no point striving for excellence when it comes to raising children and running a busy household.
Reading, exercising and spending time with the people she loves is how Sam decompresses. She’s doing all she can to remind herself that it’s not the end of the world if she gets her kids to daycare and school a little late. Or if she has to allow them a bit more time to get ready each day.
“I’m doing what I can to lower my stress levels, my cortisol levels and just take the time if I have to,” she shares.
“It’s not fair on Marlow and Amaya to be constantly rushing. My favourite part of the day is reading books together on the couch in the mornings.”
Sam is big on keeping life in perspective. Delivering the news each night means she’s constantly reminded of how precious life really is. But nothing has shaken her more than the loss of her best friend Jess.
The 40-year-old, a childhood friend who Sam grew up with in Otago, died in November last year after a battle with cancer. She was with her in her final days and took on the role of celebrant at her funeral.
“I still find it incredibly sad that she’s no longer here,” says Sam.
“Almost every day, I think, ‘Oh, I want to ring Jess and tell her this or that.’ It’s been really tough.“But it’s also been a reminder to make sure the people I love know how much I love them because you just don’t know what is around the corner. Devastating events can come along and change everything.”
And it’s these sorts of life experiences that continue to form who she is as a person and a journalist. On her return from Jess’ funeral in Port Douglas, Queensland, she contacted Dai Henwood. The Kiwi comedian facing stage four cancer, to see if he’d like to tell his story.
She’s relishing the opportunity to take on more interviews in her ThreeNews role. With in-depth interviews often peppered throughout the bulletin.
“Dai was so beautifully frank and open, and his words really resonated with people,”says Sam.
“I feel very lucky that in this role I get to do such a wide range of journalism. It might be a long sit-down interview, like with Dai, the Finance or Foreign Minister, or former leaders like Helen Clark or John Key, delving a little deeper into the issue of the day.”
Yes, there’s no doubt this job means longer hours and intense preparation, but it’s something this news junkie is relishing. She’s continually reminded of just how much she loves live television.
“It’s always been a big job, but it’s even bigger now,” she says.
“It’s a lot, but I feel like I’m really thriving. There really is nothing like the buzz of TV.”
With so much going on in her life, it should come as no surprise that Sam has no interest in joining the dating scene. Right now, she’s happy in her little trio with Marlow and Amaya, telling us it would take a very special person to turn her head.
“I don’t really have the bandwidth at the moment,” she confesses.
“I’m really happy with how life is. If the right person was to come along, then sure, I could be open to that. But Marlow, Amaya and I have a really beautiful life, with a nice balance and rhythm, so it would have to be someone really special who would bring an added layer of adventure and happiness.”
