Jonathan LaPaglia looks downcast during a family stroll in Los Angeles as he is seen for the first time since being brutally fired from Australian Survivor via email

Daily Mail​

a day ago

Jonathan LaPaglia has been seen for the first time since news emerged he was fired from Australian Survivor after almost 10 years as host.
The 55-year-old appeared downcast as he went for a family stroll in Los Angeles on Tuesday, just hours after Daily Mail Australia revealed that LaPaglia was left blindsided after learning of his sacking via email.
LaPaglia, who had been the face of the franchise since 2016, was spotted on a family walk with his wife Ursula Brooks and their daughter Tilly.
The TV star showed off his muscular arms in a singlet and appeared deep in thought as he walked alongside Tilly, who held their dog's leash.
He completed his casual look with navy shorts and a pair of comfortable sneakers.
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The 55-year-old appeared downcast as he went for a family stroll in Los Angeles on Tuesday, just hours after Daily Mail Australia revealed that LaPaglia was left blindsided after learning of his sacking via email
Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed on Tuesday, the first LaPaglia heard of his sacking was in an email from producers at EndemolShine Australia, the company behind Survivor.
This was before anyone from Ten had the chance to pick up the phone.
The message pinged in his inbox after he had wrapped filming on his last season of Survivor, Australia v The World, which is slated to air later this year.
'He got an email first. That was the initial comms from EndemolShine,' a source said.
'Then a call came from Ten, but by then it was already done. It's really not how you treat someone who's been part of the show for almost a decade.'
The decision to break the news via email, described by insiders as 'clinical' and 'cold', has shocked those involved with the show.
'It wasn't just a job to him,' the source added.
'Jonathan took this seriously - gym, set, repeat. If you've ever watched the man storm tribal council in head-to-toe linen, you know he gave it everything.
'He was passionate, outspoken and protective over the format - especially when production barged in with changes.
'I cannot stress this enough: JLP didn't just show up to read lines. He lived it.'
According to multiple insiders, the decision to replace LaPaglia was made well before Australia v The World began filming in September last year, but was kept tightly under wraps to avoid overshadowing the season.
'It was locked in for months,' one spy said.
'They wanted to avoid a backlash during filming and post-production - but now the torches have been lit, and not just in Samoa.'
Soon after Daily Mail Australia broke the news of his axing, LaPaglia issued a statement confirming he had been dropped - describing his exit as the one blindside he didn't see coming.
'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 wrote on Instagram.
'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.
Soon after Daily Mail Australia broke the news of his axing, LaPaglia issued a statement confirming he had been dropped - describing his exit as the one blindside he didn't see coming
According to multiple insiders, the decision to replace LaPaglia was made well before Australia v The World began filming in September last year, but was kept tightly under wraps to avoid overshadowing the season
Sources close to production say that LaPaglia was 'devastated' after learning Genat was in talks with both the network and production to replace him
'So for the first time ever this is not a tribe swap, but a host swap. Yes, you read that right.'
'I wish I could say, "Before we go to vote, tonight is a little different… no one's going home." But I can't. None of that non-elim bulls**t tonight! Someone IS going home. And with no idol in my back pocket, that someone is me.
'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".'
While no replacement has been officially announced, our sources say Survivor: All Stars winner David Genat will step into the role from 2026.
Sources close to production say that LaPaglia was 'devastated' after learning Genat was in talks with both the network and production to replace him.