In the biggest shake-up in Australian reality TV history, Jonathan LaPaglia was officially replaced as the host of Australian Survivor ahead of the show’s 2026 season.

Now, it’s official: former contestant David Genat — better known to fans as the “Golden God” or “Hot David” – has been named the new host of Australian Survivor.

The announcement came on Monday night when Network 10 released a statement.

Paramount Australia’s SVP Content and Programming Daniel Monaghan addressed the shift, saying, “It’s no secret there’s been a change at the helm.

“As we step into this exciting new era, there was simply no better person to pass the baton to – David’s track record, not just on Survivor but across reality TV worldwide, is unrivalled, and there’s no one with more real-time experience and game knowledge to help steer this epic season.”

His appointment follows weeks of speculation and comes in the wake of Jonathan LaPaglia’s shock exit, a decision that left fans disappointed.

LaPaglia, who had hosted the franchise for over a decade, said he was blindsided by the move, admitting the change “hurts like a bitch.”

Genat, who first competed in Champions v Contenders in 2019 before winning All Stars in 2020, has built a reputation as one of the show’s most memorable players. His return for Australia v the World marked his third appearance in the franchise.

Outside of Survivor, Genat recently scored one of reality TV’s biggest ever cash prizes – $9 million AUD (approx. USD conversion) – after winning US series Deal or No Deal Island. He has also dabbled in hosting before, fronting the 2023 adventure series Rush.

In his own statement, Genat downplayed his role, insisting the show belongs to its contestants.

“I love Australian Survivor. It truly is the greatest game on earth, so getting to come back as host after playing three times is such an honour. But Survivor is not about me; it’s about the incredible players who put everything on the line to outwit, outplay, and outlast,” he said.

He also paid tribute to the show’s loyal fanbase, saying, “I love the players, I love the community of fans, and I love the crew who make it happen. As the new host of Australian Survivor, I won’t let you down.”

Network 10 confirmed Genat is already filming the 2026 season in Samoa, which will be themed Australian Survivor: Redemption. The season promises “fewer non-elimination episodes” and the return of a live finale, which fans are expected to love.

A pointed response.

Following the appointment of David Genat as the new Survivor host, outgoing host JLP had a very pointed message for the incumbent.

“Damn DAVID! If I’d known, I could have just handed you the snuffer like an Olympic relay. Oh well. Good luck out there brother. Stay Gold Ponyboy!” he wrote.

But it was the video and his caption’s postscript that told the real story.

“(Ps Who knew my sign off line for you was actually a message for me?😂) #SurvivorAU” he added to the caption alongside the video of Genat getting voted off the show.

“Well, this tribe might be full of relationships, but shack up with the wrong people, you might just find yourself dumped,” was LaPaglia’s parting line as Genat left the competition.

It seems that there’s been a bit of a role reversal, with Genat tapping in and LaPaglia tapping out of the hosting gig for the 2026 season.

Oh the irony!

A new era, a big loss.

The announcement of JLP’s departure truly marked the end of an era for Australian television.

For nearly a decade, he had been the steady, reassuring presence that audiences had come to absolutely adore — his warm yet authoritative delivery at tribal councils had become appointment viewing for millions of fans across the country.

While rumours had been swirling around about his potential departure, a spokesperson for Channel 10 confirmed the actor and television presenter — who had been the face of Australian Survivor since its 2016 revival — would be stepping away from hosting duties after Survivor: Australia V The World.

“10 can confirm that the upcoming season of Survivor: Australia V The World will be the last series hosted by the formidable Jonathan La Paglia (JLP),” the statement read.

And, as it turns out, JLP was just as surprised about the announcement as the rest of us. In a new interview published the same day as the premiere of Survivor: Australia V The World, JLP opened up about the disappointing way he found out about the network’s decision.

Of his bombshell Instagram post, in which he said he had been “blindsided” by the network’s decision, JLP held no regrets.

“I’m sure the network wasn’t happy, but I’ve always been honest with the audience, and I think that’s part of what they appreciate about me,” he explained.

“Honestly, that’s who I am. And maybe that’s why I’m in this position, because I am a little too honest about stuff, and maybe I’m not very good at playing the game.”

Image: Channel 10

Shortly after the announcement at the end of June, JLP shared a post to Instagram, bidding farewell to the show — and stirring some feathers in the process.

“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,” JLP wrote in an Instagram caption.

“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 shared.

But speaking to The Watchlist, JLP clarified this statement.

“The speculation online was that I received an email. But no, it was a call to my manager in Australia,” he explained.

“I didn’t get a direct call, which, I’ll be honest with you, was disappointing. After 10 years of helming their flagship show, it would have been nice to get a direct call from the people at the top, but I didn’t.”

JLP’s Instagram statement went on to note that it was the show’s recent dip in ratings that prompted the network’s desire 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,” JLP wrote at the time.

“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,” he continued, adding “Whoever said a blindside is the most humane way to put someone down is an idiot. It hurts like a bitch!”

Speaking to The Watchlist, JLP reflected on what he’ll miss most about the role that defined nearly a decade of his career.

“I’m going to be perfectly honest. I am going to miss it. I’m going to miss the incredibly talented crew because we spent 10 years in the trenches together, and became this tight, dysfunctional family,” he said.

“I’m really going to miss all of them and I’m going to miss the players. That was the favourite part of my job, and it was a difficult job.”

And he’s not the only one.

 

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Survivor alumni shared their disappointment over the news, with Feras Basal asking if he could “play an immunity idol” for JLP, Benjamin Law calling the loss “monumental” and Luke Toki expressing his heartache for his bestie.

As for Jonathan LaPaglia’s next move, the longtime Australian Survivor host is ready to return to his acting roots.

“It was a real challenge for me to figure out how to do this job, how to host the show,” he shared. “I’d never hosted before, and I honestly never really felt like I completely mastered it, and I was always trying to improve my skill set. So I’m going to miss having the opportunity to continue to build on that.”

“But it has pulled me away from other things, like acting. And maybe that’s partly my fault, he continued.

“Look, I’ve been in this business a long time, and I’m a firm believer [that when] one door closes, another door opens.

“So yeah, I’m open to what’s next, and I’m looking forward to the next new experience.”

One thing is for sure: Australian Survivor fans are in for an interesting new chapter when the show returns in 2026.

Feature Image: Channel 10.