Continuing the grand 2020 theme of “just what in the living FUCK is going on,” Channel Ten officials have this morning revealed that Jonathan LaPaglia aka JLP aka Immunity Daddy aka Heft Probst will be unable to serve as the in-studio host of the Australian Survivor: All Stars finale due to being stuck in the US. Instead, Bachie boy/unashamed Survivor superfan Osher Günsberg will be stepping in as a very last-minute replacement.
While the bulk of the series itself completed filming a few months ago, portions of the series finale – including the final tribal council vote reading and in-studio cast reunion – are scheduled to be taped in Sydney this Thursday, ahead of a scheduled broadcast next week.
LaPaglia, who is US based, will be unable to attend the taping in-person due to the Australian Government’s mandatory 14-day isolation period for all overseas travellers, which was implemented at the start of the week as part of larger on-going efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19.
In a statement, Network Ten confirmed that “The welfare of everyone involved in our shows is our number one priority so the filming will not have a live audience and host Jonathan LaPaglia will stay in the USA rather than travel to Australia.”
LaPaglia will still play a part in the finale taping, however, with a video cross from Los Angeles planned.
“[JLP] will still be a part of the Finale via a satellite link from LA. Survivor superfan Osher Günsberg will step in as guest MC at the All Stars Finale,” Ten confirmed.
Osher hosting the Survivor finale has some decent synergy to it, given Australia’s next Bachelor, Locky Gilbert, is a cast member of the current Survivor season.
Bloody hell. Who needs a (responsibly home delivered) drink?
