Jonathan LaPaglia

Jonathan LaPaglia was born in Adelaide on 31 August 1969 is an Australian actor and television personality.

JLP hosted Network 10's Australian Survivor from 2016 to 2025. In 2020, he was 'inducted' by the "Australian Survivor Archive" fansite into the "Inaugural Australian Survivor Hall of Fame".

In June 2025, it was announced that he would be replaced as host of Australian Survivor.* His final season of the show was Australian Survivor: Australia V The World in 2025.

As an actor, in Australia he is best known for his role as Hector in the The Slap on ABC TV.

Jonathan LaPaglia

Early and personal life

LaPaglia was born in Adelaide, South Australia, the youngest of three sons of Maria Johannes (nee Brendel), a secretary, originally from the Netherlands and Gedio "Eddie" LaPaglia, an auto mechanic and car dealer from Bovalino, Calabria, Italy.

Actor Anthony LaPaglia is one of his elder brothers. LaPaglia lives in Santa Monica, California, with his wife Ursula Brooks and daughter.

Career

LaPaglia graduated from Rostrevor College, and then from the University of Adelaide with a MBBS medical degree in 1991. He worked three years as an emergency ward physician in Adelaide, Sydney and London. Feeling restricted, he decided to follow his brother into acting. In 1994, he moved to New York City where he joined the Circle in the Square Theatre School. He got his first break in 1996 when he joined the cast of the television series New York Undercover.

From 1998 until 2001, he played the role of Cmdr. Frank B. Parker on the science fiction series Seven Days. Afterwards, he played Detective Kevin Debreno, on The District from 2001-2004. LaPaglia has also guest-starred in numerous series including The Sopranos, NCIS, Cold Case and Castle. He appeared in the May 2008 issue of Car Craft magazine with his custom 6.1L Hemi '73 Dodge Challenger.

In 2011, he starred as the protagonist, Hector, in the TV adaptation of Christos Tsiolkas' novel The Slap produced for ABC TV.

Although he is Australian, this was LaPaglia's first appearance in an Australian production. Having lived abroad for many years, LaPaglia found it necessary to hire a dialect coach to recover his Australian accent.

His second role in an Australian production was the title character of real-life crime boss Anthony "Rooster" Perish in Channel Nine's Underbelly: Badness, which was the fifth series of the true crime drama franchise. He starred in the 2014 movie The Reckoning alongside Luke Hemsworth.

Since 2016, he has been the host of Network 10's revival of Australian Survivor. LaPaglia is also a sports enthusiast and model.
In October 2023, it was confirmed that he would be one of three hosts, alongside Beau Ryan and Blair Joscelyne, on a reboot of Top Gear Australia for Paramount Plus.

* Australian Survivor *

Fans were shocked when it was announced that he would be replaced as host of Australian Survivor.

In August 2025, Ten announced that former contestant David Genat would be the next host of Australian Survivor. news.com.au

Genat's post announcing his role was met with a fiercely divided reaction - many fans of the show are clearly still not over the news of JLP's surprise axing. "I'm too disappointed that JLP was blindsided. He is truly the GOAT," one fan wrote.

"JLP is the one of the best hosts the television has ever had and I am really sad and disappointed of this twist," said another.

The announcement comes after LaPaglia opened up about getting sacked from the job after 11 years, telling Stellar he was "disappointed" that he found out second-hand that he was being let go.

Feedback questions the TEN decision to sack LaPaglia, and now, why let him go in favour of the less popular David Genat?

Feedback

Have your say

Kaleb says..
Have you seen the Petition to bring back Jonathan LaPaglia as the host of Australian survivor IT HAS ALLREADY 8,497 SIGNATURES SO PLEASE BRING JLP BACK BRING HIM BACK! Because if not I know that Australian Survivor will FALL and I know because I am such a big fan of it so please PLEASE BRING JLP BACK FOR THE BETTER OF AUSTRALIAN SURVIVOR!

Johnno says..
The only person that likes David Genat is David Genat! Personally, I didn't like him as a players, I found him an arrogant smart-ass. I can't imagine him hosting the show and will miss JLP.

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