Sam’s joke over IKEA founder’s death

SUNRISE host Samantha Armytage has laughed at IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad's death, awkwardly joking about flat-packed furniture before calling it a "lovely story."

The 41-year-old, who is hosting the Channel 7 breakfast show with Natalie Barr, made the comments after stand-in reporter Monique Wright shared the news this morning.

"Will the bloke who founded IKEA be buried in a flat-packed furniture box?" she joked today with sports reporter Mark Beretta adding, "And can they find the Allen key?"

"Oh dear - well that's a lovely story. Well 91 so good innings," Armytage continued.

Wright responded after she jokingly said mourners would be given an Allen key, "It's not such a lovely story," she said.

MORE: Punters still waking up with Sunrise despite Georgie Gardner return

MORE: IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad dies at 91

Kamprad, a farmer's son turned multi-billionaire who revolutionised kit furniture, died leaving behind a global empire under investigation over its tax practices, the firm said overnight.

Kamprad "passed away peacefully surrounded by his loved ones" at his home in the southern Swedish region of Smaland on Saturday "following a brief illness", IKEA said in a statement.

"The founder of IKEA and Ikano, and one of the greatest entrepreneurs of the 20th century, Ingvar Kamprad, has peacefully passed away, at his home in Smaland, Sweden, on the 27th of January," the company statement read.

Overnight it was revealed that Sunrise hosted by Armytage and David Koch pulled significantly more viewers than its rival, Channel 9's Today.

Across the five metropolitan cities Channel Seven recorded between 35,000 and 40,000 more viewers than their competition.