Die-hard Australian Survivor fans are fighting back after it was revealed longtime host Jonathan LaPaglia was abruptly fired from the long-running series.
In a lengthy Instagram post, Jonathan said he was shocked by Channel Ten’s decision to let him go, which was first revealed by Daily Mail Australia on Sunday.
Now a Change.org petition calling for Channel 10 to reinstate LaPaglia as host has been launched and has already gathered more than 2,300 signatures – and the numbers are climbing fast.
‘We cannot allow this change to happen without voicing our strong support for JLP to remain the host of Australian Survivor,’ the petition says.
‘The host plays a crucial role in maintaining the show’s appeal, and JLP has proven himself time and again as the perfect fit for this role. His deep understanding of the game, combined with his rapport with contestants and viewers alike, makes him irreplaceable.
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Die-hard fans Australian Survivor fans are fighting back after host Jonathan LaPaglia was adruptly fired from the long-running series
In a lengthy Instagram post, Jonathan said he was shocked by Channel Ten ‘s decision to let him go, which was first revealed by Daily Mail Australia on Sunday
There is one message that keeps coming up again and again among superfans – ‘JLP is Australian Survivor.’
Insiders tell Daily Mail Australia that Survivor: All Stars winner David Genat is tipped to take over the role.
While Channel Ten confirmed the hosting shake-up on Monday, they have yet to announce a replacement.
Genat recently won US$5.8 million on the US game show Deal or No Deal Island and previously hosted Nine’s short-lived series Rush.
But the Survivor community insists that no one can replicate LaPaglia’s calm authority, dry humour, and steely-eyed tribal council entrances.
‘You can swap contestants, you can switch up twists, but JLP is the one constant. He’s part of the game,’ said another show source.
Filmed in Samoa between September and October 2024, Australia v The World is set to premiere later this year,. and will be Jonathan’s final appearance on the show.
It has already being promoted as one of the show’s best seasons ever.
It comes after Daily Mail Australia revealed that Jonathan had clashed with producers at EndemolShine Australia over the years, but remained highly respected by the crew and adored by contestants.
Now a Change.org petition calling for Channel 10 to reinstate LaPaglia as host has already gathered more than 2,300 signatures – and the numbers are climbing fast
‘We cannot allow this change to happen without voicing our strong support for JLP to remain the host of Australian Survivor,’ the petition reads
‘He’s so well-established in the Survivor world – changing the host is a terrible idea,’ one long-time production source revealed.
‘The cast and crew love him. He brought legitimacy and heart to the show.’
Despite this, the network is forging ahead with a new direction.
But not everyone is convinced Genat is the right man for the job.
‘He doesn’t fit the brief,’ one source added.
‘He’s charismatic, sure – but Survivor needs someone with gravitas. David is not Jonathan, and viewers will notice that.’
The hosting change comes amid a ratings slump for the once high-flying franchise.
The most recent season, Brains v Brawn II, saw viewership plummet to as low as 486,000 total overnight viewers – a far cry from the million-plus numbers it once pulled.
And the drama doesn’t stop there.
Producers have been scrambling to cast the next season, which is slated for 2026.
In fact, casting was so challenging that the deadline was extended to June 1 – and desperate producers even started poaching rejected applicants from Married At First Sight.
‘Casting has been a nightmare,’ another well-placed insider dished.
‘Some of the MAFS applicants actually seemed like a better fit for Survivor – but the fact producers were even going down that road shows how bad things have gotten.’
Despite the upheaval, Australian Survivor: Australia v The World is still set to hit screens later this year – with Jonathan’s final season already filmed between September and October 2024.
The format will see Aussie castaways face off against international Survivor royalty in what’s been described as a cross-continent showdown.
