LaPaglia appears via satellite for Australian Survivor finale
Australian Survivor presenter, Adelaide’s Jonathan LaPaglia is in coronavirus lockdown in LA but appears via satellite on the final episode of this All Stars season.
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Australian Survivor host Jonathan LaPaglia admits it was an emotionally tough decision to skip the season finale of Ten’s popular reality series.
The Adelaide actor and TV presenter remains in lockdown in his Los Angeles home due to the coronavirus, handing over the reins for Monday night’s All Stars decider to The Bachelor’s Osher Gunsberg.
“I was really torn because this is my baby right, it is my footy team, I really wanted to see it through to the end,” says Jonathan of the finale, which was taped last week.
“Even though logically I knew it was the right decision, on an emotional level, it was really tough.
“There was certainly a number of days, I was thinking, ‘I can’t believe this is happening. Was this the right decision?’
“But it just wasn’t going to be practical, not only for health reasons but if I came over I was going to be quarantined... so I couldn’t do it anyway.”
Instead, Survivor’s long-running host will appear via satellite link on the final episode of this All Stars season, which he says was the best one yet.
“The twists that came up, the challenges that were developed, everything has been turned up a notch and the cast really delivered... they all played really hard and aggressively,” he says.
David Genat, Moana Hopeand Sharn Coombs will battle it out for the Survivor crown and Jonathan concedes it’s difficult to separate the trio.
He describes David as the “ultimate” Survivor player and a “quadruple threat” but adds you can’t discount the other two from taking out the $500,000 winners’ prize.
The global pandemic has forced the postponement of movies and TV shows all over the globe, including the sixth season of Australian Survivor, which was set to begin filming in April.
“Everything’s on hold now, we’re no different. I don’t think anyone knows when they’re going back into production, we’re going to have to see how this plays out,” he says.
“I didn’t have anything else specifically in the pipeline but it’s pilot season here (in Hollywood) and that’s stopped. It’s been hugely devastating for the industry.
“Absolutely everything has shut down here except for essentials... you can’t even get your hair cut for 29 minutes.”
Meanwhile, Jonathan – a former Adelaide doctor – has been keeping busy at home with his family.
“Survivor still takes up a lot of my time, social media and whatnot but I went online and bought myself some gym equipment so I have a little set-up here and I’m still trying to keep fit,” he says.
“I have a hobby of watchmaking so I keep busy doing that but there’s also a lot of time spent in the morning, reading news from around the world and spinning in circles.
“It’s pretty crazy. It’s (the virus) really blowing up in New York and I anticipate it’s going to roll across the country. It’s not looking good.”
WATCH: AUSTRALIAN SURVIVOR: ALL-STARS, MONDAY, 7.30PM, TEN