Survivor Australia: Fans slam David Genat’s hosting debut after controversially replacing Jonathon LaPaglia

Survivor Australia fans have threatened to switch off the latest season entirely after new host and former player David Genat made his controversial hosting debut on Monday night.

In June, it was announced long-time host and fan favourite Jonathan LaPaglia had been sensationally dumped after almost ten years at the helm — remarkably, before his eleventh season had even aired.

After much speculation as to who would replace him, model and Survivor all-star Genat — nicknamed the Golden God — was revealed as his successor.

Following the first episode of Australian Survivor: Redemption on Monday, fans were quick to blast the show, and even threatened to boycott it altogether over the polarising casting decision.

They even took aim at Genat’s performance as host, taking to social media to lobby for the reinstatement of LaPaglia, or JLP, as he had become affectionately known.

“Can we get David out and bring back JLP,” one said.

“Sorry, I ain’t watching this, as much as I love survivor I’m not watching it without JLP,” another added.

“Whoever decided to hire the Stifler as the new host needs to be voted off production. What a downgrade,” one more commented.

Some viewers felt the manner in which JLP had been ousted, reportedly blindsided by Network 10, was justification for snuffing this season’s torch.

“After many loyal years of viewing, I am skipping SurvivorAU this year. The fact that Jonathon LaPaglia found out he was fired as host while his own season was still airing — disgusted me. Even more so to find he was replaced by an idiot who talks about himself in 3rd person,” one fan wrote.

LaPaglia told The Watchlist in August 2025 he was disappointed by how his axing unfolded, dumped before Survivor: Australia V The World had aired late last year.

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

“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.”

WA-born Genat told STM earlier this month there had been a “weird vibe” around his new gig, admitting “people don’t like change”.

However, he also recently admitted that he’d actually auditioned to replace JLP more than five years ago.

“There was an audition in 2020. I auditioned again, maybe around 2023. And then after Australia vs the World in December 2024 was when I screen tested, and kind of knew I had it,” Genat told TV Tonight.

After sharing each other’s company on three separate Survivor seasons, are the two still mates?

“I am cordial with Jonathan. As a contestant, he’s always treated me very nicely,” Genat said of the fall out from last year’s hosting developments.

“I wanted to be able to send him a message, to tell him how much I appreciate his legacy and what he did for the show. His response, and I get why you (would) do that, was that ‘It was what it was.’ But I was very cordial with Jonathan.”