Why was Jonathan LaPaglia really dropped from Survivor? These ex-contestants have theories.

It was the reality TV news that no one wanted to hear.

After almost 10 years at the helm of Australian Survivor, Jonathan LaPaglia won't be returning to the show, in a network decision the revered host has compared to being 'blindsided'.

In a statement, Network 10 confirmed the sad news. "The upcoming season of Survivor: Australia V The World will be the last series hosted by the formidable Jonathan LaPaglia," the network said.

"We will be making an announcement shortly about who will take over hosting duties for the 2026 season of Australian Survivor."

With rumours running wild over JLP's replacement — with whispers All-Star winner David Genat will take his place — the Australian Survivor community is left to pick up the pieces.

Watch Mamamia's interview with Hot David. Post continues after video.

Fans are in an uproar, ex-contestants are left baffled, a petition has been started to reinstate the host — the people are not happy!

After all, as the show's ratings have risen and fallen over the years, but one thing has remained the same — the people love JLP.

Matt Tarrant met the beloved host as a contestant on the very first season of the Network Ten reboot of Survivor. Like many of us, the news has shaken him.

"There had been whispers for a few weeks that a big change may be coming with JLP, but it sounded so absurd I don't think anyone truly believed it would happen," he told Mamamia.

It's wild that 10 blamed "Ratings" on sacking JLP.
There is not a person on this planet who would say JLP is the reason for the ratings drop-off last season.
Casting, Production, Editing, and even Theming are far more to blame. GG doesn't fix that. Absolute cop out. #SurvivorAU

— Matt Tarrant (@MattTarrant) June 30, 2025

Tarrant speculated that the decision to bring in a new host might have come down to budget cuts.

"I can't see it being any other reason than money. JLP is considered in the Survivor world as the best host of any Survivor series and losing him won't make the show more popular, nor better, but it will save money," he said.

"If David [Genat] is the rumoured new host, I don't see how it can bring more fans to the show that don't already watch the show — David fans are already watching."

Another former player and All Stars contestant, Nick Iadanza, was equally surprised by the announcement.

"It's a shocking move. I'm not quite sure what prompted it, but I'm certainly going to miss everything that he brought to the show," Nick told Mamamia.

"The show will miss having that sturdy figurehead… the questions he asks at tribal council help build a narrative for the audience in a way that is so uniquely JLP. It is so uniquely Australian and way more authentic than what (Survivor US host) Jeff Probst does."

He doesn't believe LaPaglia's presence on the show could ever be replaced. "I just don't know if anyone's going to be able to do it like him. If someone else does come in, they need to not do it like JLP," he said.

"They need to put their own stamp on it, because if I thought that JLP had big shoes to fill with Jeff Probst, the next person has even bigger shoes to fill with JLP."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Shannon Guss (Gaitz) (@shannongaitz)

Shannon Guss is an Australian Survivor expert and host of Rob Has A Podcast, a global Survivor coverage show, and she was equally floored by the news.

"I had no idea until the leaks came out the day before the announcement, so this seems to have been a true blindside to many in the Australian Survivor community," she told Mamamia.

"It's hard to speculate about why the network and production company would make this decision, especially as JLP indicated in his own statement that it was not in any way his choice and the network sought a different direction."

But ultimately, it likely came back to ratings.

"Australian Survivor always has a difficult ratings battle against some of the biggest shows in the country. It's possible they were trying to drastically shake things up to try to intrigue and capture more viewers," she said.

"However, if so, I don't think that was the right direction as JLP draws in and maintains many viewers."

The #Survivor community doesn’t agree on anything.

The only thing we all seem to agree on is how much we love JLP.

I’ll miss the iconic JLP laugh, the inappropriate jokes & much more. A titan of the global franchise. A staple of #SurvivorAU. A treat to watch for almost 10 years

— Shannon Guss (Gaitz) (@ShannonGaitz) June 30, 2025

According to another insider, the decision had less to do with LaPaglia's standing within the Survivor community, and was possibly because the host had become increasingly 'vocal about decisions made by production when he didn't like them.'

They noted that LaPaglia wasn't shy about sharing his opinions on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, and speculated that 'the network would prefer a host who doesn't sound off on Twitter and in interviews' to criticise the show.

We have reached out to Network Ten about the claims made in this story.

LaPaglia has been open about being 'blindsided' when he was dropped by the show, and how he claims things went down with Ten.

"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'," he wrote on Instagram.

"Ratings had dipped a bit recently and they wanted to do something drastic to shake things up."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @jonathanlapaglia

He assured fans he'll still be host for the 2025 All-Stars season, but described the apparent 'blindside' as being especially painful. "It hurts like a b*tch," he wrote.

JLP's post was flooded with supportive comments, with even cultural icon Evan Ross Katz sharing his sympathies, writing "What a horrible, misguided decision. You will be incredibly missed!!"

Survivor All Star, Felicity Egginton also commented on the above post. "HUGE MISTAKE!!! It honestly won't be the same without you!!! This news breaks my heart!" she commented.

Another player, Benjamin Law, added: "The loss is monumental, but so is the gratitude. The AU version of the game is so beloved, and so much of that is because of you."

Fan favourite and All Star Luke Toki also shared his feelings for the iconic host. "Not a bad word in the comments lets you know the impact you have left on everyone that played and watched the game," he said.

In their initial statement, Network Ten thanked JLP for his years of work on the show.

"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," their statement read.

"We look forward to JLP hosting the next epic instalment of Survivor: Australia V World coming soon to 10. We extend our sincere gratitude to JLP for his outstanding contribution over 10 years on Survivor. We wish him continued success in his acting and presenting career."

For Shannon, his global legacy in the game is untouchable.

"He has a clear passion for Survivor, and a true warmth and humanity that resonated," she said.

"I'll personally miss his iconic, gravelly chuckle the most. I think making JLP laugh may be better than even winning the show."

Feature image: Ten.