A Heartfelt Mother’s Day Segment on Sunrise
During the recent episode of Sunrise, Natalie Barr was visibly emotional while participating in a touching Mother’s Day segment. The TV host, who has two sons, Hunter, 19, and Lachlan, 23, with her husband Andrew Thompson, shared a candid conversation with her mother, Julie. This heartfelt exchange reflected on the realities of parenthood and the challenges that come with raising children.
As part of the special segment, Barr joined forces with co-host Matt Shirvington, newsreader David Woiwod, and weather presenter Sam Mac. Each of them interviewed their mothers in personal one-on-one conversations. Barr’s interaction with her mother stood out as particularly moving when she asked Julie about the most difficult aspect of motherhood.
Julie responded, saying, “I think it’s when everybody grows up and moves away, as you’re finding out now.” She was referring to Barr’s sons, Lachlan and Hunter, who have both recently moved out of home. Barr, fighting back tears, replied, “Yeah, I don’t think many people talk about when they move away.”
Back in the studio, both Barr and Shirvington appeared emotional after the prerecorded package aired. Shirvington said, “Wow. If we weren’t crying before, we’re crying now. Love you mum.” Still visibly tearful, Barr added, “Thank you to our mums, that was gorgeous. And unexpected answers I got, did you get unexpected answers too?”
Fans have been reacting positively to a clip of the segment posted on Sunrise’s Instagram page. One fan wrote, “Awwwwww Nat! You’re so gorgeous. And a beautiful mother, I have no doubt.” Another commented, “Awww Nat you made me cry,” while someone else wrote, “So beautiful… I’m in tears. Lovely segment.”
This moment came after Natalie spoke about how she was adjusting to life as an empty nester in 2024. In an interview with Who magazine, she mentioned that she was “mourning” her sons’ childhood. At the time, her youngest son, Hunter, had moved to Canberra to start university, while her eldest son, Lachlan, was living in Melbourne while studying.
“It would be fair to say that I did sit around and mope a fair bit the first few months not really knowing what to do and eating a bit too much chocolate,” she said.
“I was mourning their childhood and felt a bit discombobulated over not knowing what to do. The job of being a parent isn’t ever over, but we’re in a new part of the relationship and had to learn what the different boundaries were.”
Despite missing her children, Barr said she was slowly embracing the new chapter of her life by prioritising her health. She even admitted to purchasing a Pilates machine.
“It’s not so bad coming home to an empty house now,” she admitted.
