Warning: This article contains spoilers for “Australia v The World”
“Australian Survivor” blindsided the entire international Survivor community earlier this summer when Channel 10 announced that longtime host Jonathan LaPaglia would be exiting the series after the current season.
And while “Australian Survivor: Australia v The World” didn’t quite work out in David Genat’s favor — he was voted out after a tie vote in Episode 2 this week — the Golden God may still have won out in the end, because he has been named the new host of the show.
“This isn’t the last you’ll see of David Genat! He may have had his torch snuffed on ‘Survivor: Australia v The World,’ but now, David is stepping up to crown the next Sole Survivor,” Channel 10 announced on Monday. “Filming is underway in the wilds of Samoa for the 12th season of ‘Australian Survivor,’ where 10 is thrilled to confirm the ‘Golden God’ will be at the helm, commentating every challenge and tribal council as castaways battle it out for the title of Sole Survivor in ‘Australian Survivor: Redemption,’ coming in 2026.”
JLP had hosted the modern iteration of “Australian Survivor” since it returned from a 10-year hiatus with Season 3 in 2016. Genat, meanwhile, competed on “Champions V Contenders II” in 2019, was the winner of “All Stars” in 2020 and then also won “Deal or No Deal Island” Season 2 earlier this year.
“We can confirm that the upcoming season of ‘Survivor: Australia v The World’ will be the last series hosted by the formidable Jonathan La Paglia [sic],” the network shared in June. “JLP has brought a unique blend of authority, intelligence and empathy to his role as host of ‘Australian Survivor’ over the last 10 years. Acting as a referee and managing the intense pressure of the game while also acknowledging the human drama unfolding, JLP has been a compelling and memorable figure in the world of ‘Survivor.’”
“We look forward to JLP hosting the next epic installment of ‘Survivor: Australia v The World,’ coming soon to 10. We extend our sincere gratitude to JLP for his outstanding contribution over 10 years on ‘Survivor,’” Channel 10 added. “We wish him continued success in his acting and presenting career.”
Unfortunately for LaPaglia and fans, he was blindsided by the news of his firing.
“‘Australian Survivor’ has seen some of the most epic blindsides over the last 10 years, but this one might just be the craziest of them all … because it happened to me,” he shared at the time. “I received a call from the Network thanking me for all my hard work and dedication to the show but for next season they are ‘going in a different direction.’ Ratings had dipped a bit recently and they wanted to do something drastic to shake things up. So for the first time ever this is not a tribe swap, but a HOST SWAP®️. Yes, you read that right.”
“It has been one of the greatest adventures of my career to helm Australian Survivor, so it is without a doubt the hardest challenge of all to snuff my own torch but here goes; ‘JLP … the tribe has spoken.’ But don’t pull out your hankies just yet, I’ll still be at the helm for ‘Australia v World’ … probably our best season EVER!” LaPaglia concluded. “(Ps. Whoever said a blindside is the most humane way to put someone down is an idiot. It hurts like a bitch!)”
