CELEBRITY WITH AMANDA KELLER

SURVIVOR – JONATHAN LAPAGLIA Amanda travels to Samoa to catch up with Survivor host Jonathan LaPaglia. Last year, In Australia, Amanda set Jonathan a number of unorthodox challenges to see how he’d go in her version of the game but this year he will set the challenges and the rules to see who will be the ultimate Survivor.

ABOUT AUSTRALIAN SURVIVOR Australian Survivor is returning for a brand new season in 2017. Spanning generations, this year’s castaways are gathered from all across the country, from all different backgrounds, but all with the same goal to take out the title of Sole Survivor. The show sees 24 castaways competing over 55 days, battling the elements and each other until only one remains. Hosted by actor Jonathan LaPaglia, the series is filmed in Samoa on the island of Upolu.

Castaways are initially divided into tribes that will face off in physical and mental challenges; some for rewards of food, shelter or other useful items, other challenges are for immunity at the Tribal Council. The tribes that do not win immunity must gather at Tribal Council to debrief about the challenges with Jonathan, before they cast their votes to eliminate one of their own tribe members.

Contestants will also have the opportunity to win personal immunity as around the island there are a number of hidden immunity items, these idols, when played at Tribal Council, mean votes cannot be cast against them.

As numbers begin to dwindle tribes will be merged from three to two, then eventually to just one tribe, where it will be every castaway for themselves, until there are only two left standing. At this point the power shifts back to the 9 castaways most recently voted off the island – they will form the jury who decide who will be named the sole survivor and win the prize of $500,000.

The hit 2016 season of Australian Survivor saw 24-year-old Account Executive and life-long Survivor-fan Kristie Bennett upset fan-favourite Lee Carseldine, to take out the $500,000 and title of Sole Survivor. Despite not having won a previous individual challenge, Kristie won the Final Immunity Challenge and voted out Lee’s close ally, El Rowland. At Final Tribal Council, even though Lee had wielded more power for the duration of the game, the jury ultimately valued Kristie's tenacity and underdog status, rewarding her with 8 of the 9 jury votes.

ABOUT JONATHAN LAPAGLIA

Born 31 August 1969 in Adelaide, Jonathan LaPaglia is best known to Australian audiences as an actor but his first profession was actually as a doctor – he worked as an emergency- room physician for a number of years before giving it away to follow in his older brother Anthony LaPaglia’s footsteps. Since his career change, Jonathan has appeared in numerous US series including Cold Case, Burn Notice, Castle, Bones, NCIS and The Sopranos, and starred in acclaimed local dramas The Slap, Love Child and Underbelly.

In April 2016 Jonathan was announced as the host of Network Ten’s reboot of Australian Survivor. It was a pick that surprised many, not least Jonathan himself having never hosted before but loving a challenge, he jumped at the chance. To prepare for the show he binged on some of the 32 seasons of the American series, so much so that his wife and 11 year-old daughter also became obsessed with the show.

To further prepare for the role Jonathan got the chance to pick the brain of American Survivor host and Executive Producer Jeff Probst. The pair met over coffee where Jonathan grilled Jeff about the complexities of the role, especially how to helm the critical tribal councils. “His job in that part of the show is to try and peel back layers and press buttons to try and expose people”.

Jonathan received much praise as the host of Australian Survivor, with fans observing he was an excellent substitute for Probst. And while after the first season, he admitted he was mentally and physically exhausted by the series, when the second season was announced confirmed he would “absolutely” be back on board for hosting duties.

While he says he has no favourites among the competitors, he does admire them for their performances in challenges and game play at camp, and sympathises when they are sent packing. In the first season alone he had to utter the iconic line, “The tribe has spoken” to all but one of the 24 contestants as they were eliminated. “I find it a heartbreaking moment,” he admits. “When I’m there snuffing out their torch I’m literally killing their dreams.”

WEBLINKS http://tenplay.com.au/channel-ten/australian-survivor