Sacked Australian Survivor host Jonathan La Paglia has seemingly taken a brutal swipe at his rumoured replacement after Ten “coldly” axed the star.

Australian Survivor fans have claimed the show’s sacked host Jonathan La Paglia confirmed swirling rumours of his replacement through a brutal social media swipe.

Fans were left just as stunned as La Paglia, known affectionately as JLP, was when Network 10 on Monday confirmed the upcoming season of Survivor: Australia V The World will be the last series hosted by the star.

The show’s producers first told the TV veteran he was out of a job via a “clinical” and “cold” email, Daily Mail Australia reported on Wednesday.

La Paglia had already filmed the show before its premiere in the coming months and took to Instagram to address the “epic blindside” on Monday.

“Whoever said a blindside is the most humane way to put someone down is an idiot. It hurts like a bitch!” he wrote in his wide-ranging statement.

Devout Survivor fans would know Australian Survivor: All-Stars champion David Genat, who is tipped to replace La Paglia as host, famously uttered the “blindside” line during an episode of Champions V Contenders in 2019.

JLP at the time asked Genat what his motive was behind his vote at the tribal council, to which the then-contestant said a blindside was humane.

“I mean, I think a blindside is the most humane way to put someone down,” he said. Viewers are now sure this means La Paglia’s seemingly innocuous remark not only mocked Genat but confirmed the hosting swap rumours.

 

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“Oooh, he ate that,” one person said, as another added the TV star was “the master of one-liners. What a f****** icon”.

More viewers lashed out at the Network 10 shakeup, largely praising David but saying he was no replacement for the longtime host.

“I like David, but no. He’s not JLP,” one person said, while another said: “It’s the dumbest decision they could make, and I love David”.

“I love David and think he’s the perfect replacement…when Jonathan decides to leave,” chimed another person.

“David is an excellent player, so it will be interesting to see how he is as a host,” one more elated fan said.

Genat recently won $8.7 million on the US TV game show Deal or No Deal Island and is set to compete in Survivor: Australia V The World.

The new season will mark the TV star’s third time on the series, and he has previously hosted popular travel shows Rush and Getaway.

Despite the model’s impressive TV record, a production staff member said people are not convinced he’s La Paglia’s best replacement.

“He doesn’t fit the brief,” the insider insider told Daily Mail Australia

“He’s charismatic, sure – but Survivor needs someone with gravitas. David is not Jonathan, and viewers will notice that.”

La Paglia has hosted Australian Survivor since 2016 and quickly earned a reputation as a staunch and earnest personality on the show.

The news of his departure comes as Australian Survivor has struggled with a rating slump.

The last season, Brains vs. Brawn II, saw viewership dip to 486,000 total overnight viewers, a far cry from the many millions it attracted in its prime.