Channel Ten has named former "Australian Survivor" winner David Genat as the reality series’ new host, replacing Jonathan LaPaglia, who was informed in June that his near-decade tenure had ended. The network confirmed the decision on Monday, saying production for the 2026 season is already under way. Genat, who competed in the 2019 "Champions v Contenders" season and won the 2020 "All Stars" edition, said the program is "not about me" and pledged to uphold its standards. Paramount Australia’s senior vice president of content and programming, Daniel Monaghan, described him as the "ideal successor" given his first-hand knowledge of the game. LaPaglia told The Daily Telegraph he learned of his dismissal through a call to his manager, calling the process "disappointing." The move has prompted an immediate backlash on social media, with some longtime viewers threatening to boycott forthcoming seasons.