Reality TV fans were buzzing with the news that Luke Bateman would be heading into the South African jungle on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! Australia in 2026.
“In some very exciting news, I’ll be trading the Australian outback for the African jungle,” he said in a post shared on Instagram, adding he was thrilled to see what hosts Robert Irwin and Julia Morris have “cooked up for me.”
“I’m sure there’ll be some delectable food items and some fear-instilling trials. I can’t wait.”
Many may have seen Luke before whether it be on television, on the sports field, or on BookTok. Nonetheless, below is everything you need to know about Luke Bateman.
Where have you seen Luke Bateman before?
Luke is a man of many talents. His first passion was with sports, having played NRL for the Canberra Raiders from 2015 to 2019. In 2020, Luke suffered a knee injury, leading to his professional retirement at just 27-years-old.
“When I left professional football, I was extremely lost. I definitely had no purpose and no real idea as to who I was outside of football and what I wanted from my life moving forward,” Luke previously confessed to Body and Soul.
Afterwards, Luke struggled with his mental health, telling the publication he previously put all his “worth and validation” into sport.
In 2023, Luke brought his country charm to The Bachelor Australia as one of three suitors. He did find love with Ellie Rolfe, however, the pair split in March 2024.
What does Luke Bateman do now?
In April 2025, Luke shared a video of himself, simply sitting in his car and talking about his love for fantasy novels to TikTok. This video amassed 2.2 million views.
Since then, Luke has shared countless videos where he reviews fantasy novels from his car. Watching a country boy review fantasy novels was a complete contradiction that people absolutely adored.
It was this popularity that earned him a two-book deal with Atria Books Australia, set to release in early 2027.
In 2026, however, Luke will be returning to our screens as a contestant on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
Is Luke Bateman single?
Since going viral on TikTok, Luke only shares books reviews online and little of his personal life. Nor has he spoken about his relationship status since splitting from Ellie.
Therefore, it is hard to determine Luke’s current relationship status, but we presume he is single.
