A couple of weeks after he was dropped from hosting Australian Survivor, Jonathan LaPaglia has reportedly been dealt another blow.
Unfortunately, for the former host, Top Gear has reportedly been shelved.
According to The Daily Mail, the show is not returning this year or in 2026, and it has been shelved indefinitely.
He joined the third revival of the show in 2023 before its 2024 release.
While it’s reportedly the second hosting gig he has lost, a source told the publication that it was not cancelled.
“It hasn’t been officially axed,” they said, “but it’s absolutely not coming back — at least not with this line-up.”
Why was Jonathan LaPaglia axed?
Since his Survivor axing, Jonathan has been spotted out with his family in the US.
He was seen looking rather grim-faced, out and about with his daughter Tilly in his Los Angeles neighbourhood on July 3, as the dust settles from his shock firing.
When the news was announced about his axing on June 30, he said he did not see it 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.”
But now, a source tells New Idea that an additional snub by the network could make things “messy” when the time comes for JLP, 55, to promote the upcoming season of Australian Survivor: Australia V The World.
Filmed months ago, it’s set to air on Network 10 in the coming months.
He has been left out of a new promotional video, released last week, showcasing all the programs Ten has coming out in the latter half of the year.
Instead, the slick advert features clips of returning Survivor stars George Mladenov and David Genet, who is being tipped to replace JLP.
And it’s not like the ad wasn’t highlighting hosts – The Amazing Race’s Beau Ryan features in the 45-second- long clip three times!
“It’s odd not to include JLP, when he is going to be front and centre in the new season,” our source says.
“It’s got many wondering
if he might limit his media interviews when it comes time to promote it. JLP usually goes above and beyond and chats to everyone, but after this latest snub,
don’t be surprised if he mutes his phone”, they add.
An executive source also told The Daily Mail that Network Ten and Paramount Plus were changing things up when it came to reality shows.
“There’s been a sweep of changes behind the scenes,” they said. “Several long-standing hosts, not just JLP, have been quietly told they’re not part of the future.”
